The medical professionals at Healthworks NW serve adolescents and young adults struggling to live free of drugs and alcohol.  We serve patients as young as 15 and their families.  Family participation is an expected and required component of our treatment model.  Most adolescents meet criteria for outpatient treatment.  This means remaining engaged with school, family, and other life-strengthening supports such as religious or spiritual activities, and sports.  These are the components of everyday life, within which all recovering people must learn to live in a healthy and productive way.

Physician and Health Professional Services for Adolescents:

• Individual Medical Consultation
• In-office Medical Detoxification
• Relapse prevention with medications such Vivitrol and Naltrexone
• Individual Counseling
• Family Counseling
• Urine Drug Screen Monitoring

Developing minds are particularly susceptible to alcohol and drug abuse. In 2008, a national survey revealed that fully 10% of high school seniors had abused the narcotic Vicodin (hydrocodone.)  Studies also show conclusively that many adolescents who become addicted to narcotic pain medications rapidly switch to heroin.  Heroin represents a cheaper, more powerful, and much more dangerous ‘high.’  Detoxification and abstinence from narcotics/opiates is medically difficult for adults – for adolescents it is often impossible without medical intervention and aggressive individual and family counseling support.

Many adolescents abuse alcohol or marijuana as part of participation in their social circles.  Marijuana is very potent and leads to profound changes in mood, motivation, and memory.  Adolescent alcohol use is strongly correlated with drug-use and sexual risk-taking behavior.  In addition, many adolescents abuse prescription stimulants, cocaine, and/or methamphetamines for a multitude of reasons.  Not only are these behaviors illegal, but they place the developing individual at risk for mood disorders, truancy, pregnancy, school dropout, and suicide.

Behavior and mood changes are the first symptoms which are suggestive of a substance use disorder. EARLY INTERVENTION IS CRITICAL to obtaining a successful outcome for the patient and the family.  Please contact Healthworks NW to schedule a consultation.