Substance abuse affects people from all walks of life. Every day, people across the country, including teens, cope with stress, trauma, and undiagnosed mood disorders with drugs or alcohol. Today’s teenagers face high levels of daily stress and unresolved trauma. This can increase the effects of mood disorders and decrease overall mental health. Luckily, there are programs around the country ready to help adolescents with substance abuse treatment. These programs bring teens and families together to diagnose, understand, manage, and heal substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.
At Fort Behavioral Health, we proudly provide adolescent substance abuse treatment in Fort Worth, Texas. Our inpatient and outpatient programs provide alternative and evidence-based therapies for a holistic approach to adolescent substance abuse. Reach our staff today online or at 844.332.1807 to learn how Fort Behavioral Health can help your teen cope with substance abuse and recover.
What Is Teenage Substance Abuse?
Experimentation is a common part of adolescence. For many teens, drugs and alcohol provide an escape from the stress of school, work, and family life. Unfortunately, many teens also struggle with undiagnosed mood disorders and unresolved childhood trauma. Because of a lack of mental health education and resources for many teens, it’s difficult to know when it’s time to get support for mental health and substance abuse.
Simply put, substance abuse is the use of drugs or alcohol interfering with daily life. When someone abuses drugs or alcohol, they do so despite negative consequences like missing class or feeling sick from a hangover. For those with mood disorders, substance abuse can quickly turn into addiction and worsen the symptoms of depression, OCD, ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Coping Strategies for Teens Struggling with Substance Abuse
For teens, every day presents new challenges. Between school, hormonal changes, and peer pressure, it’s hard to cope. While many use substances like drugs or alcohol to self-soothe and disassociate, a substance abuse treatment program can provide holistic tools to manage stress and balance emotions.
Our list of coping skills for teens includes:
- Making lists – Often, making a list can help teens put things into perspective and realize that they have more time and space to finish their work than expected.
- Journaling and free-writing – Free-writing techniques allow teens to put their thoughts, emotions, and feelings on paper. This can feel validating and will enable them to let difficult emotions go.
- Exercise – Moving the body can increase endorphins and reduce stress. Today, teens are increasingly less active. Regular exercise can help them cope with stress and build resilience.
- Artistic expression – Art, dance, and music therapy are all alternative approaches to managing emotions, changing behaviors, and processing childhood trauma. An artistic activity can help teens get out of their heads and gain perspective.
- Talk therapy – A regular therapist or group therapy session can help teens improve communication and advocate for themselves when they need more support at school or home.
- Meditation and mindfulness – Anxiety and stress occur when we think about the past or the future. Meditation and present moment awareness help teens focus on the present moment rather than worry about the future.
These are only a few ways teens can cope while living with substance abuse. It’s important to identify substance use triggers and the underlying cause of drug or alcohol use. Often when a mood disorder or underlying trauma is treated, the impulse to use drugs or alcohol subsides.
Begin Holistic Substance Abuse Treatment for Your Teen in Fort Worth, Texas
If your teen is struggling, Fort Behavioral Health can help. Our programs help adolescents recover from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders with a continuum of holistic care, including coping strategies for teens. Our inpatient and outpatient programs treat teens struggling with alcohol, opioid, heroin, and cocaine addiction alongside depression and anxiety. With a range of therapy programs, our alternative and evidence-based therapy helps teens find healing coping strategies that reduce stress, process trauma, and improve communication for a healthy adulthood. If you’re ready to learn more about coping strategies for teens, call Fort Behavioral Health now at 844.332.1807 or fill out our online form to find the right treatment program for your family.
