Substance use disorders are growing more common in teens across the United States today. Teens are facing increased pressure at school, and, due to a culture that wears busyness as a badge of pride, they’re in more activities than ever before. Couple busyness and pressure with navigating the turbulent waters of high school, and you have teens who are consistently overwhelmed and looking for something to take the edge off of their lives. Unfortunately, turning to drugs and alcohol can quickly result in a substance use disorder that is equally difficult to navigate. In many cases, teens require a professional substance use treatment center.
At Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center, we are proud to offer a boys’ substance use treatment center for teens in Mississippi. At our residential treatment program, teens get evidence-based treatments combined with a variety of holistic therapeutic modalities. Additionally, we offer a boys’ academic program to help them maintain their grades while they’re receiving treatment. We treat the whole teen rather than just their substance use, giving them the tools to heal entirely. To learn more about our treatment programs, please reach out to Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center today at 662.373.2828 or use our convenient online form.
The Science of Substance Use
The brain connects the physical world and human experience through the complex and controlled release of specific neurochemicals like dopamine. The release of dopamine specifically influences two distinct mental functions: pleasure and memory. Natural releases of dopamine reinforce positive behaviors in adolescents, such as learning, exercise, peer relationships, and feelings of overall well-being. However, unhealthy substances like alcohol and drugs can catalyze the release of extra dopamine, creating an artificial high for the user. Because the adolescent brain is not yet fully developed, this forced release of dopamine and other neurochemicals can have a more profound and lasting impact.
Over time, drug usage reduces the brain’s ability to respond to intrinsic rewards, making them secondary to the high produced by those drugs. Feelings of desire and love no longer have the same neurochemical effect that drugs do upon the brain’s response to external stimuli. Because dopamine is also responsible for long-term memory, the flooding of dopamine into the brain imprints the high into long-term memory, reinforcing the developing brain’s likelihood to take drugs again without the proper consideration of consequences. If this experience repeats, the brain enhances the neural connection between pleasure and drug use, strengthening the association.
“I miss this place a lot honestly, I’m extremely impressed with where my life is at today and I know I couldn’t have done it without this place. The staff is amazing and I’m definitely going to come back and visit sometime. I truly believe this place saved my life and I’m forever grateful for Stonewater.”
Max Williams
Causes of Boys’ Substance Use
Because the adolescent brain is still in development, areas such as the frontal lobe and prefrontal cortex are not yet fully formed. These areas of the brain are the parts that control first-response and cautionary thinking. Whereas adults making decisions can weigh advantages and consequences, teens cannot fully evaluate the risk and potential dangers of certain choices. At Stonewater, your teen will develop new tools and work to strengthen them. As a result, in critical decision-making moments, the adolescent can anticipate consequences and respond in the best way possible.
Adolescents can develop dependencies to processes and substances for a variety of reasons, including:
- Feelings of anxiety or depression
- Social acceptance and peer pressure
- In order to increase physical endurance
- To increase school performance or academic ability
- As a way to cope with an unstable home environment or upsetting experience
- To develop or enhance their artistic ability
- To experience the glorified high
- As a coping method for suicidal thoughts
- Identity issues
- Mental health struggles
If you suspect that your teen is using drugs or alcohol for any of the reasons we’ve listed above, please reach out to Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center today.
What Makes Our Boys’ Substance Use Treatment Center Effective?
Through our treatment programs, adolescents learn about the origins, triggers, and damages of substance use, and they discover healthy replacements to achieve, once again, a positive physical response to enjoyable activities. At Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center, our motto is “Lifelong Recovery, Lived.” Our goal is to teach the boys we treat how to manage life’s stresses and challenges in a healthy way. They learn how to set healthy goals and promote healthy habits, such as:
- Eating nutritious diets
- Getting enough sleep each night
- Maintaining healthy friendships
- Limiting screen and device use
- Establishing healthy communication and boundaries between family members and loved ones
Recovery isn’t easy. It’s a lifelong journey, rather than a sprint towards the goal and then claiming the win. However, with the help of a team of professionals who understand the needs of teenage boys, it is possible to set your teen up for recovery. We’re here for your family throughout the process.
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Boys’ Substance Use Treatment Programs
At Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center, we offer treatment programs for a wide range of substance use disorders. With the help of our treatment programs, many of the teens we treat are able to heal. Our treatment options include:
- Alcohol use
- Cocaine use
- Xanax/Benzodiazepine (benzo) use
- Opioid use
- Dextromethorphan (DXM) use
- Marijuana use
- Methamphetamine (meth) use
- Amphetamine use
- Heroin use
- Vaping use
- Fentanyl use
- MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly) use
Our treatment programs will give your son the support he needs to overcome his substance use.
What Treatment Options Do We Provide?
Every teen is different. While some teens may experience extreme mental health issues that lead to their substance use, others may use substances because of peer pressure. It’s vital to seek individualized treatment for your teen, as doing so can support your teen’s unique recovery journey. Therefore, when you bring your son to Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center, we’ll conduct an extensive admissions examination to determine what your son’s needs are. Then, we will work with your teen and the rest of your family to develop a treatment program that addresses your son’s needs.
For instance, your son may require treatments such as:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Experiential therapy
Fly fishing therapy
Adventure and nature therapy programs
We believe that family should be an integral part of the treatment of our residents. Therefore, we may recommend that your teen takes part in our family therapy program. This program allows you to grow closer to your teen and develop the healthy boundaries that are critical to long-term recovery.
In addition, we also offer an optional faith-based treatment program. Many people have found that growing closer to God is critical to their long-term recovery. We support your son throughout each aspect of his recovery.
Finally, if your son has an underlying mental health condition that has led to their substance use disorder, we can also provide dual diagnosis treatment. This treatment program offers concurrent treatment for both issues, giving your son the tools he needs to improve his mental health and avoid a return to use outside of treatment.
To determine what type of care your son needs, reach out to Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center today at 662.373.2828.
Get Help at Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center Today
Studies show that only ten percent of adolescents who need substance use treatment will find it. However, the majority of people struggling with marijuana addiction in 2017 were between the ages of 12 and 25. Stonewater helps your teenager find the individualized treatment needed to properly treat, not just the substances but also the reasons and stressors causing them to use substances to cope. To learn more, contact Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center today at 662.373.2828.
