Clearing the Haze: Helping Families Face Teen Addiction

About this book

Often it is difficult for parents to recognize when their child is abusing alcohol using illegal drugs or in trouble with other substances that are hazardous to their health safety and wellbeing. Clearing the Haze is a guide designed to help parents determine whether their child may have a substance problem and if so how to begin to address it. The book includes the voices and insight of experts in substance abuse counseling young people in recovery and parents who have lived the nightmare of adolescent addiction. The book moves readers through an overview of adolescent brain development the warning signs of drug use and addiction treatment options what families should expect of therapy the basics of productive communication and the difficulties of dealing lovingly with addicted teens. The authors encourage families entering the 12th step of giving back to consider advocacy for smarter public policies surrounding drug access and addiction treatment. They also provide a list of resources parents may find useful. A necessary resource for every community this book will help parents teachers friends and others help kids who need help.