Leave Me Alone!

Years of clinical research and treatment alternatives have failed to reduce the number of American teenagers struggling with addiction and mental illness. The time has come for a new perspective on how to deal with the rising tide of teenage drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, suicide, and anti-social behaviour. That "perspective" is Dual Diagnosis, a treatment approach that recognizes the fundamental connection between chemical dependency and psychiatric disorder, and calls for simultaneous treatment of both problems to bring on recovery. Dual Diagnosis has become an integral part of rehabilitation programmes nationwide, because it has proven effective in helping troubled teens understand and overcome their problems. "Leave Me Alone" is devoted to adolescent dual disorder illnesses - the behaviour and emotional conditions that characterize them, their impact on families, the available treatment options, and real-life examples of how Dual Diagnosis treatment has succeeded in clinical settings.
Belinda Terro Mooney also examines the type of family backgrounds that lead to dual disorders, the signs and symptoms of chemical dependency and emotional problems in teens, the difference between normal and abnormal adolescent behaviour, ways for parents to confront teenage drug and alcohol abuse, and techniques for accelerating the recovery process. The book is designed to guide parents through the various stages of the treatment process, so they will know what to expect and what their roles should be. In addition, professional counsellors may find it useful as a tool for learning how to apply Dual Diagnosis in their work, and in relating effectively with teenagers and parents who are dealing with dual disorder illnesses.