| A rehab center is not the same as a nursing home | | | | or alcohol rehab center. In 2000, it was estimated that |
| since the focus on nursing homes is long-term health | | | | of the 14 million Americans abusing drugs or alcohol, 6.3 |
| care for the elderly or severely ill, but rehabilitation | | | | percent of those were 12 years of age or older. A |
| centers are for short-term treatment in order to help | | | | staggering 9.7 percent of youths between the ages of |
| the individual through various addictions. Other ways in | | | | 12 and 17 years of age have used illicit drugs at least |
| which rehabilitation centers help people are those | | | | one time. Men appear to have the higher rate of illicit |
| suffering from illnesses or individuals that have been in | | | | drug use consisting of 7.7 percent compared to |
| accidents that need help in regaining the ability to walk | | | | women at 5 percent. However, prescription drug |
| or speak. | | | | abuse in the form of pain medications, tranquilizers, |
| Addicts require a drug rehab or an alcohol rehab in | | | | sedatives and stimulants were comparable between |
| order for the person to go through detoxification and | | | | men and women. |
| learn to live without the substance. Many of the | | | | Another drug that is often overlooked by parents is |
| rehabilitation centers support group and individual | | | | inhalants. Kids of any age can purchase these legal |
| therapy so that fellow addicts together can help each | | | | substances at a variety of stores. For instance, |
| other understand why they fall victim to abuse in the | | | | compressed air and spray paints are often abused. |
| first place. This is a crucial aspect of the rehab centers | | | | Females are more likely to use compressed air since it |
| because if an individual does not know the reason | | | | leaves no residue on their mouths and no one can |
| they have the addiction, they are likely to return to their | | | | detect the smell when in their presence. Inhaling |
| drug of choice once released. | | | | compressed cans of substances intentionally is called |
| Children of alcoholic or substance abuse parents often | | | | huffing. The high lasts only moments, so the abuser |
| fall into the same pattern. Researchers believe that | | | | continues huffing many times throughout the day to |
| addiction is two-fold. First, it is environmental; the child | | | | maintain the high, which can quickly cause brain |
| may learn early to depend on a substance to make it | | | | damage or death. |
| through the day. Secondly, it can be genetic as far as | | | | A drug rehab center for such abusers of illegal and |
| the child inheriting an additive personality. Children of | | | | legal substances is many times the last hope because |
| addicted parents normally hate what their parents are | | | | if the abuser continues using, death will follow at some |
| doing at the time, but exposure to drugs and alcohol at | | | | point. Alcohol rehab centers are also often the last |
| such a young age, introduces the child to the road to | | | | chance for alcoholics to become sober, because |
| abusing drugs that can continue into adulthood. | | | | abusing alcohol over a long period will eventually cause |
| A staggering trend in today's society is that children | | | | cirrhosis of the liver and ultimately a premature death. |
| make up a large percentage of those entering a drug | | | | |