More Reasons Why Teens Relapse after Drug Treatment
In our last Ozarks Teen Challenge blog post, we discussed a few of the reasons why teens might relapse into drug use after their drug treatment. In today’s follow-up post, we look into a few more common reasons why teens fall back into substance abuse. Before we go on, we’d like to take the time to urge to empathize with your boys. Most people turn to drug use because they are struggling with difficult external or internal issues. This doesn’t, however, mean their choices are the faults of parents, but the better parents understand the issues that can knock their son off course, the better they will be able to help their child. At the end of the day, we are all sinners and only God’s grace has saved us. It is in Him that we must put our ultimate trust. So watch out for these common pitfalls, pray with your son, and encourage him to seek Christian environments after he returns from drug treatment.
Too Much Confidence Can Lead to Relapse
During their drug treatment, our boys learn again how to look at life optimistically. We give them the tools they need to regain the confidence to say no to drugs. They should base this confidence in their relationship with Christ, not in their own pride and vanity. When confidence leads to over-confidence, teens often lose their ways. Our boys must remember to stay humble and to seek the Lord’s help in difficult times. They cannot always do it on their own, and that’s more than okay. God’s word and grace will guide recovering teens through difficult times if they only allow them to. If a teen chooses to grow over-confident, they might think they can resist temptation on their own. This leads to bad endings. If they stick with the skills we taught them and stick to following God’s Word, teens will find strength to stay strong in the face of relapse.
Too Much Downtime and Boredom
Rehabilitated teens with too much time on their hands might find it difficult to keep their thoughts off of the times they had before their drug treatment. Though they know it hurts them, some teens will find themselves drawn toward drug use again only because it gives them something to do. They may think it helps them relate to other kids or makes them look cool. When our boys leave drug treatment with hobbies and activities planned, they have less idle time to form false notions about how great the past was.
Self-Pity
When teens feel bad for themselves, they grow more susceptible to drugs. They might wonder why their life is so much more difficult or more restricted than everyone else’s lives. They might think that they’ve earned the right to try drugs again, but this thinking is extremely dangerous. Drugs are not a reward for hard work; a sober and fulfilling life is a reward in and of itself. Life is not far. This harsh reality should be met with discipline and resilience, otherwise relapse becomes more and more likely.
Contact Ozarks Teen Challenge Today
We teach our boys everything we know about resisting relapse and drugs. We encourage them in their relationship with the Lord. Nothing matters more than their faith. If you believe your child could benefit from our drug treatment program or from Christian boarding schools, please contact Ozarks Teen Challenge today.
