Watching a child or young adult spiral into a life addiction can be heartbreaking. For many parents, it can be confusing as they ask whether they made a mistake. It’s important to remember a child with a substance abuse disorder is not a sign of bad parenting. It is a disease. It’s up to parents and their young adults to decide whether they want to break the cycle. That can start here at Momentum with our caring staff and care to address substance abuse in young adults.
Is My Child High? The Figures
First off, your young adult is not alone. According to the National Institute of Health, in 2019, about 25% of teens between 14 and 15 years old reported having at least one drink. The same survey found 7 million youth between 12 and 20 years old reported drinking beyond “a few sips” in the past month.
But for some young adults, alcohol use spirals into alcoholism or alcohol use disorder. In fact, more than 4 million youth said they had been binge drinking in the past month. More than 800,000 reported doing it five days or more in the last month.
The numbers for drug use are just as alarming with a recent federal report noting that 50% of teens saying they have misused a drug at least once. Overdose deaths among 15-to 24-year-olds are also increasing over the last two decades, totaling 4,777 in 2019.
Nearly 800,000 teens between 12 and 17 years old met the criteria for illicit drug use disorder.
Is My Child High? Rehab Is An Option
That is where in-patient and out-patient treatment comes in for many teens and young adults. Parents can help their teen by providing support for rehab for their drug or alcohol addiction. The rehab setting offers young adults the chance to address their addiction, get therapy and group help and look for the underlying cause of their substance use disorder.
Is My Child High? Resources Available
There are numerous websites for parents and young adults so they can learn about substance abuse and the impact it can have.
- National Center On Substance Abuse And Child Welfare
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- KidsHealth
- Partnership To End Addiction
- Mayo Clinic
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Is My Child High? Resources Available
There is also caring staff here at Momentum willing to talk to you or your child about drug or alcohol addiction. Feel free to contact us today to talk about the situation, how we can help and the next steps.