Article on special concerns of treating addiction in 18-25 year olds...

[Signorina]

http://www.cottonwooddetucson.com/pdf/Staff_Articles/ART0014.PDF

We walk the walk - so I am not sure there is any information that will come as a surprise. But it's nice to see a clinical acknowledgement that young adults often perceive treatment as "punishment" from family members and that they are ambivalent to treatment. I heard a *ding ding ding* in the statement that "hitting bottom" needs to be modified for young adults...because young adults may not have established measurable health or success in life (yet)..."

anyway - nothing earth shattering but I definitely recognized the struggles that so many of us are having. And thought I would pass it along...

 

[exhausted]

Thank you. It was helpful to learn these things.

 

[Nancy]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing it Sig. I hadn't thought of it that way but it's true that the bottom ofr 18-25 year olds is far different from that of a person older who has had nore experiences and has more to lose. It may be a reason why our young people relapse so easily, because they don't feel like they lost all that much. As their parents of course, we know what they have lost or given up, but they don't yet understand that.

I think it's an area that needs a lot of attention as the age of addicts in the treatment centers continues to decrease. I have to say that when difficult child was in, the majority by far were young people and there were only a few that were middle age or older.

Nancy

 

[AmericanGirl]

My difficult child has told me for two years how he could handle being homeless. Foreshadowing? They may not have as much To lose but mine has no clue what being homeless is like.

Don't you think young people arent as concerned about things like credit ratings, health insurance, savings and retirement as our generation was/is?

 

[Signorina]

I wasn't concerned about my future at 19, 20. I didn't realize then that it couldn't be constantly rewritten.

All they have is what they know from their short life as teenagers. Junior high led to a brand new restart called high school- got to leave my old self behind! Four years later, it was time to completely reinvent myself as a college freshman.

How many of us say "if I knew then what I know now?" I toured some really fine colleges with pc17 this summer. I keenly felt the desire to do it all over. I drooled over the course catalogs, ivy covered walls, posted notes advertising study groups, etc.

My 18 yo self chose the college that accepted me where some of my friends were going. I based my course selections on late start times and no Friday classes!

They don't realize that their adult life will reflect the decisions they make now. And they are screwing it up so close to the goal line and it's aggravating!!! The pain & regret will come later when they (god willing) outgrow/outlast this ill behavior yet realize that it casts a long shadow on current plans & future dreams.

I found some comfort in the professional acknowledgement that they just don't get it.

 

[Nancy]

I agree AG. I don't know why that is, but I was so much more responsible and mature and cared about the future and so did my friends .Maybe it was because we all came from families that struggled and we were focused on doing better and today's generation had too much.

Nancy

 

[toughlovin]

I thought the article was interesting and right on target... certainly fits my difficult child very well... and gave me some food for thought on how to talk to him about the issues.

I was very responsible by the time I was 22 or so.... self supporting with a good job etc. I don't know how much I really thought about my future though... and my decision making about college was rather ridiculous. I applied to one school and that was it. Not sure what I would have done if I hadn't gotten in. I did live a lot of my life by the seat of my pants... hmmm I guess in some ways I still do. lol.