When you hear about addiction in teenagers, many often think immediately of teen boys getting involved with underage drinking or drug abuse. For some reason there exists the stereotype that boys are more risk-taking and prone to addictive behaviors.This may or may not be true, but it is important to remember that teen girls are also incredibly susceptible to addictive behaviors. Addiction in teens is so incredibly dangerous, because they often lack the foresight to predict the consequences of their actions, and they are at a formative stage that can determine the rest of their lives.
Drugs & Alcohol
Of course drugs and alcohol are the best known addictions in teenagers. Underage drinking is a serious problem in America, and teen girls are in danger of falling to peer pressure that urges them to drink at parties.
Prescription Drugs
There is a rising trend in prescription drug addiction in teen girls. Because these pills aren’t seen as “illegal” many girls think they cannot become addicted or get in trouble. They may get the pills right out of their parent’s cabinet, or from friends.
Social Media
Many teens today are growing addicted to various forms of social media because of the attention and validation they receive by posting pictures and sharing parts of their life online. They need more and more likes, more friends, and more posts. They can become dependent on the internet and social media for their mental well-being.
Food and/or Exercise
Eating disorders are often forms of addiction. Food addiction can lead to obesity, or bulimia. Anorexia is sometimes accompanied with extreme exercise habits. This can be a tricky spot for teen girls, because you want them to eat healthy and exercise, but also to maintain balance.
Sex
Unfortunately it is not uncommon for teen girls to become addicted to sex. They may quickly learn that sex feels good and helps to boost their self esteem. It may get them attention and care from boys, and even raise their popularity. It is a dangerous precedent to set, and can lead to sexually promiscuous behavior.
There Is Hope For Your Teen At Havenwood Academy
If you have realized your troubled teen daughter is struggling with one or more of these addictions, or you’ve experienced one of these alarming situations, it can be overwhelming and scary. It is tempting to label it as a phase and hope they grow out of it. However, addictive behavior in troubled teen girls may only get worse, especially if it goes unaddressed. Find your daughter the professional help she needs right away, to solve the problem before it ruins, or takes, her life.
Think Havenwood Might Be For You?
We encourage any visitors considering placing their daughter in treatment to fill out our online assessment as soon as possible. This two minute form will give our admissions team all the information needed to determine if your daughter is a good fit for our program.
Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.