How to Find Help for Alcoholism at a Teenage Treatment Center

Alcohol poisoning, according to many teen treatment centers   is the potentially fatal repercussion of drinking copious amount of liquor in a short span of time. Due to drinking excess alcohol, our body’s functions are considerably slowed down and there is a lapse in the heart-rate, breathing etc which unfortunately causes choking, breathlessness, suffocated feeling, low blood pressure and even death.  Teenagers, who are in their early to mid-teens, are vulnerable to alcohol poisoning more so compared to adults according to a reputed teen treatment center.

 The treatment process is such that the person is taken to the hospital quickly so that his or her condition can be monitored closely. Fluids and oxygen are given and a lot of proactive measures are taken to make sure that the person does not choke or suffer from breathing problems or chest pain.  There are some very effective medications that are used in treating alcoholism and alcohol poisoning which have proved to be fruitful

 Zofran(ondansetron) is one medicine that has been used  with beneficial results to treat alcoholism in people under 25 years of age who suffer from alcohol addiction.   There is another drug which is equally helpful, called Naltrexone. Doctors administer it to manage alcoholism in youngsters. What Naltrexone does is that it decreases the cravings of alcohol by putting a stop to the body’s ‘high’ response to alcohol.  You can take Naltrexone only under the close guidance of the doctor who prescribes you to take it by mouth or even gives monthly injections.

 Disulfiram  (Antabuse) is prescribed for some alcoholics; it works by reducing  the craving for the substance by producing a negative reaction to alcohol. Acamprosate(Campral) also works by reducing alcohol  cravings for those who have stopped drinking, this can be useful for those who may go into a relapse. 

 Doctors may be shy of using medical treatments for teenagers because for the adolescents, drinking is more to get that mental high. So with relapse prevention programs and counseling, doctors try to provide individual help to teenagers by charting short-term goals in a bid to make the individual stop drinking alcohol.   Some of the treatment programs that are specifically aimed at teenagers according to teen treatment centers include drug testing, 12 step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and motivational enhancement therapy.

There is also another form of treatment called ‘stimulus control’ that is used to teach the teen to stay away from conditions that are related to alcohol abuse and substitute them with activities that are productive, healthy and creative.  Then there are two other forms of controls-urge control and social control that is used in relation with changing behavioral pattern and seeking the help of family members and others to benefit from treatment.

Family interventions are actually welcome because they are helpful for teen alcohol prevention. The Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) is quite effective as a long term residential treatment of3 to 5 months that not only addresses family issues but takes care of educational and peer pressure troubles also.  By limiting access to risk factors and by educating the teen problems against the ills of alcohol education, a huge change can be brought in his or her attitude.