My Teen Needs Help with Alcohol Addiction
My Teen Needs Help with Alcohol Addiction
Caring for a teen with an alcohol addiction can be overwhelming—and the problem needs to be addressed at the first sign of substance abuse.
The physical and psychological effects of long-term drinking can cause irreversible changes in brain structure and function. Excessive drinking is linked to damage to the pancreas, liver, heart, and overall immune system as well. Delaying treatment can even lead to fatal consequences.
Recovery Centers of America’s personalized treatment options are designed to help your teenage son or daughter receive the immediate care and life-long skills needed for sobriety. Our facilities offer extensive family therapy and family education services so that you and your family can fully understand addiction, the rehabilitation process, and how to support your teen in his or her long-term recovery.
Commonly asked questions:
- How long will my teen’s alcohol rehabilitation take?
- Can I visit my teen while they are receiving alcohol addiction treatment?
- Can my teen be expelled for attending rehab for alcohol?
- Will my insurance cover my teen’s alcohol addiction treatments?
- Can I make my teen go into rehab?
- Can my teen die from detoxification or rehabilitation treatments?
- Will rehab show up on my teen’s background check?
- How do I know if my teen really needs rehabilitation?
- Will my teen go to jail after seeking alcohol rehabilitation treatments?
- Will colleges know my teen received alcohol rehabilitation treatments?
- Can colleges revoke acceptance or scholarships after learning my teen was in rehab for alcohol?
- Can my teen be admitted without a photo ID?
How long will my teen’s alcohol rehabilitation take?
At Recovery Centers of America, your teen can expect to participate in 30 days of inpatient alcohol treatment, followed by a commitment to at least 60 days of ambulatory care after discharge. Based on research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), patients who commit to a 90-day track of treatment have the highest probability of remaining sober after treatment has concluded.
If you are wondering whether it is the right time for your teen’s alcohol rehabilitation, call 866-501-9686 and our care advocates can provide more information about treatment timelines.
Can I visit my teen while they are receiving alcohol addiction treatment?
Your family can always visit your teen while he or she is at a Recovery Centers of America treatment facility, but visitation time and access differ. During the initial alcohol detox period, which lasts anywhere from 4-7 days, family members are granted limited visitation access and are required to have a counselor present to ensure your teen stays on track for recovery. Following the alcohol detoxification period, family members and friends are allowed to visit during specified visitation hours.
Throughout your teen’s stay, Recovery Centers of America encourages family members to participate in extensive family therapy and family education services.
Can my teen be expelled for attending rehab for alcohol?
Recovery Centers of America follows the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines and will not disclose your teen’s participation in alcohol treatment to school officials or any third-party without consent. Your teen will not be expelled as a direct result of undergoing alcohol rehabilitation.
Will my insurance cover my teen’s alcohol addiction treatments?
Recovery Centers of America is in-network with most insurance providers and, even though coverage differs from plan to plan, many insurance plans have a provision for alcohol addiction treatment. If you need help understanding insurance coverage, call 866-501-9686 and our financial counselors will provide assistance to you and your teen.
Can I make my teen go into rehab?
In order to be admitted to a Recovery Centers of America facility, a patient must be able to voluntarily sign out of treatment at any time, for any reason. Any individual who is under the age of 18 or is under court-ordered legal guardianship will not be admitted.
Though you are just trying to help your teenage son or daughter begin a healthy lifestyle, forcing treatment will not allow him or her to choose recovery and accept responsibility. You should educate your teen about the life-saving benefits of professional treatment and lifelong recovery, as it will be an everyday choice he or she has to make for long-term sobriety.
If you need help setting up an intervention or discussing treatment with your teen—whether he or she is willing or unwilling to enter treatment—call 866-501-9686 and an interventionist and therapist will help you open up communication.
Can my teen die from detoxification or rehabilitation treatments?
Detoxification is a safe and effective procedure, and your teenage son or daughter is not at risk of dying if he or she is undergoing medically monitored and professionally supervised detoxification at a Recovery Centers of America treatment center. Our personalized team will alter care based on your teen’s specific physical and psychological needs.
Unmedicated detoxification from alcohol can cause life-threatening health complications, such as seizures, delirium, and dysregulation of body temperature, blood pressure, and pulse; Recovery Centers of America does not recommend unmedicated or self-medicated detoxification for this reason. If you have questions about detoxification or rehabilitation treatments, call 866-501-9686 to speak with a clinician or nurse about your teen’s start to recovery.
Will rehab show up on my teen’s background check?
Undergoing alcohol addiction treatment will not show up on your teenage son or daughter’s background check. Recovery Centers of America follows HIPAA guidelines and will not disclose a patient’s participation in alcohol treatment to law enforcement officials or any third-party without consent.
If your teen was convicted of a criminal offense prior to, during, or following treatment, he or she may experience legal repercussions. These convictions may show up on a background check if your teen is 18 years of age or older.
How do I know if my teen really needs rehabilitation?
At the first sign of alcohol abuse, you should have a candid and direct conversation with your teenage son or daughter. If you are asking the question, you have probably noticed a few behavioral changes, and it is likely that your teen needs alcohol rehabilitation.
If your teen has exhibited any of the signs or symptoms, such as secretive drinking, disinterest in hobbies, changes in appearance, relationship issues, and engaging in risky or negligent behavior, it is time to step in and express your concern. Delaying treatment will only increase the consequences of his or her addiction.
If you are unsure whether your teen needs help with alcohol addiction, or if you are unsure how to start the conversation, call 866-501-9686 to speak with an interventionist or therapist who will help you.
Will my teen go to jail after seeking alcohol rehabilitation treatments?
Recovery Centers of America will not disclose your teen’s participation in alcohol treatment to law enforcement officials or any third-party without consent and, therefore, your teen will not go to jail as a direct result of seeking alcohol rehabilitation treatments.
However, your teen is not exempt from the legal repercussions of crimes he or she committed before, during, or after receiving treatment.
Will colleges know my teen received alcohol rehabilitation treatments?
College officials will not know about your teen’s treatment unless he or she discloses the information to them. Following HIPAA guidelines, Recovery Centers of America will not disclose your teenage son or daughter’s participation in alcohol treatment to law enforcement officials or any third-party without consent.
Can colleges revoke acceptance or scholarships after learning my teen was in rehab for alcohol?
Recovery Centers of America will not disclose information about treatment to scholarship officials or college institutions. Our treatment providers respect the patient’s privacy and will only report to a third-party if consent is given.
Can my teen be admitted without a photo ID?
Yes. Recovery Centers of America goes above and beyond to obtain identification for those who are choosing recovery, and your teen can be admitted without a photo ID.
