Reasons Why Your Teen May Be Struggling in Early Sobriety
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As a parent, watching your teen battle substance abuse is probably one of the most difficult things to endure. Since they are sober, you now find them struggling in their early sobriety which may be unbearable to watch. You wish you could take their difficulty away and just do their recovery for them. This will never work, however, because they must participate in their own recovery or else, they will most likely relapse.
By informing yourself on the different struggles that your teen could possibly face, you may be able to reduce your stress by knowing what to expect and guide them in a better direction when these circumstances do arrive in early sobriety.
Feeling their feelings
Drugs and alcohol suppress a person's feelings especially in a teen who do not know how to completely express themselves in the manner that they really should. Take away their substances and they will probably become restless, irritable, and discontented to say the least. Without being self-medicated, sadness, anxiety, depression, and anger may come out in full force. Treatment and 12-Step programs can be instrumental in equipping your teen with the tools they need to help them through their trying situation.Being bored
Teens need to be doing something most of the time to keep them from being bored. Your teen to most likely thinks they have nothing to do since they cannot longer drink or use, no can longer hang out with those who are still under the influence or go to the same places that they use to hang out. Suggest new activities and guide them into a new direction without pushing them too hard. Ask a therapist how you can assist them in finding a purpose.Making mistakes
When a teen who is drunk or high makes a mistake, they mostly could care less because the drugs and alcohol make them react entitled and unconcerned. Being sober can bring about the apprehension that they are not good enough, cannot get anything right, and bring them to place of self-pity. These dishonest feelings are typical to form in the mind of someone who has an addiction especially when they are sober. With your encouragement and the support of others in recovery, they can work through them without having to pick up a drug or drink to combat them. Early sobriety is a change that may take some time in getting used to the newness of no longer having the crutch of drugs and alcohol to fall back on. Help your teen to push through the difficulties of being newly sober so that they continue to be sober for the long haul one day at a time.If you or an adolescent you know needs to get help for drug or alcohol abuse, Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center can give you the guidance that you deserve. Establishing a strong network of family and community can reinforce practices for living substance free.
Call us today to start living in your recovery: 662-598-4214
