Nov 24

Youth Substance Abuse and Intervention in Toronto, Ontario

Dealing with a young person who has substance abuse problems can leave you feeling helpless and overwhelmed as a parent or guardian. Perhaps you don’t understand how this could happen to your child, to your family. You may feel sad, frustrated and angry. These are normal feelings and you are certainly not alone. Drug and alcohol abuse is on the rise in Toronto and surrounding areas in Ontario. At Canada Drug Rehab services, we approach the treatment of addiction and mental health by supporting the whole family system. We understand the substance abuse problem did not start in isolation and it cannot be treated in isolation. We partner with you for the treatment of your child. We offer support for you all throughout the process of helping your child on the road to recovery and a more positive healthy future.

At Canadian Drug Rehab we believe that teens and young adults can overcome addiction through compassionate care. We offer a variety of private treatment programs for adolescents and young adults struggling with drug and alcohol addictions along with co-occurring mental health conditions if applicable.

Many teens that suffer from substance abuse disorders are also struggling in other areas of their life and mental health. We take this into consideration and we work to develop a treatment plan that will help them manage and cope in all avenues of their lives. Some of the areas we focus on during drug and alcohol treatment in Ontario are: 

  • Trauma
  • Self Harm
  • Social Isolation
  • Adoption/ Attachment Issues
  • Defiance
  • Anxiety
  • Body Image Issues
  • Disordered Eating
  • Low Self Esteem
  • Family Dysfunction
  • Nonverbal Learning Disorder
  • Impulse Control
  • Grief and Loss
  • Depression
  • ADHD
  • Asperger’s Disorder

Levels of Care:

Canada Drug Rehab provides multiple levels of care throughout Toronto and surrounding areas in Ontario. By working through a full continuum of treatment, teens gradually learn the skills needed to sustain long-term recovery. Through Canada Drug Rehab we can offer private medical detox, residential inpatient treatment, and even intensive outpatient levels of care catered towards your youth’s individualized needs.

Private Medical Detox in Ontario:

When teens use drugs or alcohol for an extended time, the body grows dependent on these substances. Once dependence develops, teens may experience painful or medically dangerous withdrawal symptoms once they stop taking the substance. Medical detox allows patients to work through these withdrawal symptoms under the care of medical professionals who can help ensure their safety and comfort during the process. This accountability and support can help teens stay focused on recovery goals and provide a solid foundation for treatment in additional levels of care.

Private Residential Inpatient Treatment in Ontario:

Following detox, most patients step down to residential care. This is also referred to as inpatient treatment. Residential care provides teens with around-the-clock supervision and programming. Patients in this level of care live at private safe treatment centres in Ontario full time, where they complete schoolwork and participate in individual and group therapy.

Private Intensive Outpatient in Ontario:

Typically the final stage in a full continuum of care, teens in intensive outpatient treatment continue to build the skills needed to transition to life after formal rehab care. During intensive outpatient programming, patients work with counsellors to locate clinicians, physicians and youth support groups in Toronto or the teen’s local community. This ongoing support is crucial for lasting sobriety and continued commitment to recovery.

Private Treatment Therapy Options in Ontario:

Through therapy, patients can understand the “why” behind their addiction, address the symptoms of co-occurring disorders and work through the emotional turmoil that may drive mental health challenges. Canada Drug Rehab uses a broad range of evidence-based therapies available through accredited drug and alcohol treatment centres in Toronto to help teens begin recovery, including individual, group, family, recreational and holistic therapy.

Individual Therapy in our Private Treatment and Rehab Centres:

During individual therapy, patients work one-on-one with mental health professionals. Over the course of weekly sessions, teens build trust, create recovery goals and explore the roots of addiction and co-occurring behavioural health conditions.

Individual therapy methods offered through our drug and alcohol treatment centres may include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Teens work to identify negative thoughts and core beliefs and combat them using logic and reasoning
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: Patients build skills in communication, problem-solving, mindfulness and emotional regulation
  • EMDR Therapy: Those who have experienced trauma can process it in a safe, supportive setting

Group Therapy in our Private Treatment and Rehab Centres:

Addiction can be isolating, especially for teens, so group therapy is an important part of every teen’s treatment program at any facility we recommend. Group therapy provides an opportunity for patients to hear the experiences of peers, stay accountable to recovery goals through positive peer interactions, gain insight into their own conditions and build camaraderie. 

Group therapy may involve discussions about addiction, mental health, family and stress in a variety of formats, including:

  • SMART Recovery
  • 12-Step groups
  • Skills groups
  • Experiential groups

Recreational & Holistic Therapies:

While rehab involves a great deal of introspection and personal reflection, treatment plans through any decent private drug or alcohol treatment centre should allow time for recreation and fun; especially for young people. Recovery should not be boring. It should inspire youth to want to live a healthy, active and fulfilling lifestyle. These activities complement clinical work by helping teens cultivate productive hobbies, learn healthy stress-reduction techniques and foster supportive friendships with peers in recovery.

Family Information for Youth Substance Abuse in Toronto, Ontario:

Family counselling and therapy is an essential step within the rehabilitation process, especially when handling adolescent drug or alcohol addiction. Family programs are offered at all of the youth drug treatment centres that we recommend in Ontario. These services can help families deal with the adolescents’ addiction, and learn how to support their son or daughter through their private rehab process.

Unsure if your child has an Addiction?

The diagnostic criteria for Addiction or Substance Abuse are defined as a pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as demonstrated by three or more of the following (occurring at any time in the same 12-month period):

  • The need for noticeably increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or the desired effect, or a noticeably diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance
  • Withdrawal symptoms for the substance or the same substance are taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
  • The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period of time than intended
  • There is a persistent, unsuccessful effort to cut down or control substance use
  • A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance or recover from the effects of the substance
  • Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are neglected as a result of the use of the substance

7 Steps Parents Can Take to Curb Teen Drug Use:

Talk openly about the dangers of both illegal and prescription drug use with your kids. Providing a safe and open environment to talk about these issues can make a real difference in the likelihood that they’ll use or abuse drugs.

  • Lay down rules and consequences. Your teen should understand that using drugs comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce—and make sure your spouse agrees and is prepared to enforce the rules. 
  • Remind your teen that taking someone else’s prescription or sharing theirs with others is illegal.
  • Monitor your teen’s activity. Know where your teen goes and who they hang out with. It’s also important to routinely check potential hiding places for drugs—in backpacks, between books on a shelf, in DVD cases or make-up cases. Monitor your teen’s online activity to check for illegal purchases.
  • Keep prescription medicines in a safe place, avoid stockpiling them, and dispose of any unused prescription medicines. Monitor your prescription refills carefully.
  • Encourage other interests and social activities. Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports and after-school clubs.
  • Talk to your child about underlying issues. Drug use can be the result of other problems. Is your teen having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce causing stress?
  • Get help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or drug counsellor.

Next Step: Getting Help for Teen Drug Abuse or Addiction in Ontario:

Approaching your teen about their habits or substance abuse shouldn’t be thought of as a scary step: it is the beginning of their recovery path. Remind yourself that as their carer, you are providing your teen with love and support, and helping them reach a healthy end goal which is sobriety.

Interventions are often emotional events. Warming and comforting body language, a soft approach, and avoiding the use of derogatory or judgemental language is a must. An intervention can take many forms, including a written letter, a video, or even the gathering of a small group of loved ones who urge the teenager in question to seek help out of love, not out of anger or judgement.

Hiring a local Interventionist in Toronto is always a good idea. There is nothing wrong with asking for help from a professional. Interventions are never easy to do and they take a lot out of everyone involved because they are so difficult and emotionally-charged. You don’t have to do it alone. 

The Interventionists we work with at Canada Drug and Rehab are not only local and certified but also have specialized training and experience in the field. 

What to Expect from an Intervention:

An intervention is about getting across the severity of the situation and helping the individual realize that they need to seek help, while also underscoring these sentiments with encouragement, love, and acceptance. The key to a successful intervention is ensuring that the subject doesn’t feel attacked, but supported.

An interventionist effectively acts as a facilitator or referee between the individual and the family. They are there to ensure that both parties hear and understand each other while ensuring that things don’t get out of hand and become angry or combative. It can be extremely beneficial to have an unbiased third-party mediator present, especially in such a potentially explosive environment. 

During the intervention, the interventionist helps you communicate productively with your child. They will be able to help you devise statements that effectively get your point across without inflaming the situation or heightening tension. 

Help in Toronto, Ontario for You and Your Family:

Our local Toronto, Ontario interventionists are successful and help save lives. Do not hesitate to reach out and call us today for your free consultation 1-888-963-9116 or at support@andybhatti.com. We are waiting to help you now and can be meeting with you and your family in person within 48 hours.

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