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Using substances (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, drugs) can be a slippery slope for many, which can turn into abuse or even addiction. While some are able to moderate their use of substances, others find themselves struggling to control their use, and may find it negatively affecting their life.
For most people that moderate their use of substances, when things aren't going well in their life, they step back from their use, and get their life on track, before reintroducing another factor that may lead to problems. When someone has problems with substances, they often use substances to deal with the problems in their life, and the substances often lead to not fixing those problems, and thus the problems getting worse leading to more substance use. The substances become a means of coping with life, rather than an occasional enhancement. |
Signs of Addiction and Substance Abuse
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If you are finding that you're struggling to maintain your balance of having substances, moderating those substances, and feel that you need help, or if you have realized that things are out of control, need help taking your life back, therapy can help. At IAP, we use work with adolescents, young adults, adults, and couples to help them get their lives back on track, and get out of unhealthy patterns of substance use. We work with clients prior to going into a higher-level drug treatment program (intensive outpatient program and/or inpatient program) or coming out of a higher-level program. Our clinicians start where you are and help you move in the direction of getting the life you want.
There is help, for a free phone consultation or to set up an appointment with us, call (415) 617-5932 or email us at [email protected]
Adolescents
Adolescents (middle, high school, and young adults) often experiment with drug and alcohol use, and it is hard for parents to know what is experimental and what is leading to addiction. The research has found that kids that begin using drugs or alcohol prior to age 15 tend to be 5x more likely to develop an addiction. The legal age is 21 for the use of alcohol, and marijuana is legal in many states for those over 21, but many adolescents begin using early than that. Parents often have difficulty determining what a problem is and what to do about it.
Adolescents are different from adults because they don't hit their bottom when their substance use begins to ruin their life. Adults lose their jobs, husbands/wives, money, and possibly their house, but adolescent have parents that protect them from hitting bottom since most of us parents are not going to throw our kids out on the street and are not going to withhold food or clothing.
At IAP, we work with parents and adolescents to determine whether the use is experimental, substance abuse, or full-blown addiction. We work with parents and adolescents to discuss substance use for parents to influence adolescents' values, help them to make better choices, and understand what is leading to their substance use. In some cases, it is best to require the adolescent to stop using substances for the time being, as they get their life back on track, which may include drug testing. If the adolescent continues to struggle despite weekly therapy, then their treatment may increase in adding a 12 Step program, an intensive outpatient patient program, and then if use continues, an inpatient program.
Many families get very scared about how to manage their adolescent's substance use and immediately send them to an inpatient program, therapeutic boarding school, or wilderness program, where teens often are very successful. Still, if the work has not been done before the teen is sent to a program, then the likelihood things will slide back once they come back home is very high. Most of the adolescents we treat don't need to increase their level of treatment, as we help adolescents and families to overcome substance abuse problems. Our clinicians can work with you to determine a plan for assessing and addressing your adolescent's substance use, abuse, and/or addiction.
Adolescents are different from adults because they don't hit their bottom when their substance use begins to ruin their life. Adults lose their jobs, husbands/wives, money, and possibly their house, but adolescent have parents that protect them from hitting bottom since most of us parents are not going to throw our kids out on the street and are not going to withhold food or clothing.
At IAP, we work with parents and adolescents to determine whether the use is experimental, substance abuse, or full-blown addiction. We work with parents and adolescents to discuss substance use for parents to influence adolescents' values, help them to make better choices, and understand what is leading to their substance use. In some cases, it is best to require the adolescent to stop using substances for the time being, as they get their life back on track, which may include drug testing. If the adolescent continues to struggle despite weekly therapy, then their treatment may increase in adding a 12 Step program, an intensive outpatient patient program, and then if use continues, an inpatient program.
Many families get very scared about how to manage their adolescent's substance use and immediately send them to an inpatient program, therapeutic boarding school, or wilderness program, where teens often are very successful. Still, if the work has not been done before the teen is sent to a program, then the likelihood things will slide back once they come back home is very high. Most of the adolescents we treat don't need to increase their level of treatment, as we help adolescents and families to overcome substance abuse problems. Our clinicians can work with you to determine a plan for assessing and addressing your adolescent's substance use, abuse, and/or addiction.
Adults
Have drugs or alcohol become a problem in your life? Does someone in your life believe that alcohol or drugs have become a problem? If so, there is help. Whether you are seeking a Harm Reduction approach, or are wanting to move towards complete abstinence from a substance, our clinicians can help you.
We use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Family Systems therapy if needed. To help you learn how to identify your triggers, how they lead to your urges, and to use other means of coping, rather than substances. We also look at what causes the anxiety, depression, life difficulties, and relationship difficulties, to help address these to work towards getting you back on track in life, and living life with integrity.
We use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Family Systems therapy if needed. To help you learn how to identify your triggers, how they lead to your urges, and to use other means of coping, rather than substances. We also look at what causes the anxiety, depression, life difficulties, and relationship difficulties, to help address these to work towards getting you back on track in life, and living life with integrity.
Couples
Is someone you love struggling with substance abuse or addiction? Have you tried to help them, but can't seem to find a way? There is hope for help. At IAP, we work with couples who are struggling with the effects of substance abuse or alcoholism. We help you to discuss with your partner the impact their use is having on your relationship, and your sense of well being, and help them build the motivation for change, and then help them execute that change. Sometimes, our loved ones refuse to get treatment on their own, but they're more likely to meet with someone together. In some cases, your loved one may refuse to come in all together, but our therapists can still help you to make changes in your and your partner's life, to take your lives back from substances.
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