DRUG & ALCOHOL ADDICTION
Teenagers and young adults are at increased risk of substance use disorder..
THE WAVE CLINIC > DRUG & ALCOHOL ADDICTION
Anyone can be addicted
Why is this happening?
Firstly, and most importantly: you haven’t failed. There are many paths that lead people to drugs. But when your loved one misuses substances, it impacts the family; and, if not stopped, will have long-term effects on their future. Drug use is progressive. The internal “rule books” we use as adults - the shouldn’ts, wouldn’ts, won’ts - no longer apply. And once someone has gotten hooked on a substance, they’ll move on to something stronger. Falling in with the wrong crowd, societal pressures, anxiety and mental health issues can all have a profound impact. This is how addiction spirals.
We might know that the person in question has a few casual glasses of wine with dinner but be shocked to learn about the Xanax they took beforehand. We might suspect they smoke cannabis but have no clue they’re actually buying or dealing. Perhaps we joke with them about staying up late but are unaware that they’ve barely been sleeping - because it’s easier to engage in these kinds of behaviours while everyone else is asleep.
How Bad Can it Get?
The consequences of drug use are more serious than we believe. There’s no way of measuring how a specific drug will affect a specific person - especially a young person, as the human brain continues to develop until age 24. It’s easy to close our eyes to the very real possibility of long-term or permanent damage to physical health, cognitive abilities, and current or future relationships.
Effects ones's health & relationships
Drug addictions can not only trigger relationship issues and social isolation, but lead to debilitating physical issues including brain haemorrhaging, cerebral infections, cardiac arrhythmia, and heart attack/failure.
Mixing drugs and alcohol can be fatal
Mixing drugs or combining them with alcohol can have unpredictable and fatal circumstances and can happen at any time - on the first instance, or the twentieth.
Can cause long term mental illness
25% of new schizophrenia diagnoses are caused by long-term cannabis use. If the user already has a genetic predisposition to mental illness, drug use can tip them over the edge, or send them into drug-induced psychosis.
Interfers with work and school
If drug use is interfering with a person’s motivation and ability to concentrate, schooling is often impossible, which can lead to long-term employment issues and even affect future family and marriage prospects.
Increases the chance of accidents & violence
Young people who use drugs also have a much higher chance of experiencing accidents, and of getting into fights or violent relationships
Can progress to unsafe sex
In this digital age, we are seeing a frequent progression from drug use into chemsex, which is a triple addiction combining chemical, sexual and digital dependency. Chemsex stems from the frequent use of sex apps and carries a much higher risk of contracting HIV and other STIs.
Can Young People stop using drugs and alcohol on their own?
What are the Signs my loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol?
If you notice any of the signs and symptoms above, it is time to seek professional help.
Treatments for drug and alcohol addiction for young people is effective and may prevent more serious consequences and long term harm.
Is There Hope?
There’s nothing as painful as watching a loved one suffer.
But it’s important to remember that this pain comes from a place of love.
Families tend to feel a lot of shame around drug use. They feel like they’ve failed and try to bury the problem. But to make any progress, substance use disorders need to be addressed without fear of judgment.
Families often ask us, “Have you ever seen anything like this before?” All the symptoms your loved one is exhibiting are normal, given what they’re experiencing. We want to address the root cause of their struggles before they become more serious. We want to support and nurture your loved one and provide you with a safe space and system to heal as a family.
We Can Help Today
FAQ
We provide local and international private transportation teams, private air transfers, ambulance services, medical teams and psychiatrists. We can collect young adults from anywhere in the world and respond to crisis situations.
See our intervention services here.
We provide onsite educational support and tutoring for students currently enrolled in school, via university lecturers and teachers who teach in English (and in other languages if necessary). We can also support them through their home or school study if schools wish to liaise with us. We offer access to the International GCSE curriculum and can provide facilities to study through the GCSEs and to sit exams.
We start by introducing subjects our clients are most interested in, as the topics that grab their attention will have the best chance of reengaging them in the educational process. For those who haven’t been attending a school or aren’t achieving passing grades, pausing the process, rebuilding the student’s foundation and making a long-term investment in their future often yields much stronger results. To explore schooling options please get in touch here.
Our core rehab programme costs $4000/week for 10 weeks, and includes all treatment, therapies, lodging, meals, excursions and activities. We accept all insurance policies. To find out more about fees and insurance coverage, please contact us
For more FAQs, please refer to our FAQs page.
There's Always Hope
Recovery is not a journey that should be taken alone. Do you have questions?
Want to discuss your case?
Are you looking to start the path to healing? We’d love to talk to you.
