Part 8 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “Know the red flags of behaviors related to anxiety, depression, drug use and intervene as early as possible. Find professionals with addiction treatment backgrounds.” “First, there is hope! As dark, scary and overwhelming as this world of recovery looks,...Read More

Part 7 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “That it is much more prevalent than people think.” “That addiction happens much more quickly the younger you are in the teen age brain and what are the red flag/symptoms of other underlying issues. Such as what signs indicate...Read More

Part 7 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “During this time her grades were poor. She was reported to the high school counselor by another student saying that our daughter had a drug problem.” “All of the above!” “Yes, grades started going downhill, police showed up at...Read More

Part 6 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “In order: Talk Therapy, Intensive outpatient treatment, Inpatient treatment, Change schools.” “Attempted to get her into private school, but was turned down due to circumstances.” “Indianapolis-based treatment facility. 30-days there in the summer after her sophomore year.”Read More

Part 5 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “Once we had our eyes open to it. Saying that we “accepted” it would be too generous. We fought it, we resisted it, etc, anything not to have to come to grips with it. It’s scary and overwhelming so...Read More

Part 4 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “She did three months in rehab out of state. She came home and three months later she relapsed.” “We were still very lost not knowing if we were dealing with an addiction problem or a mental illness. It would...Read More

Part 3 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “It was clear at some point that she was at least using marijuana. I suspected alcohol as well but never thought it could be more than that. However, when her grades started to slip, (meaning her drug use was...Read More

Part 2 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “We thought that she mainly had issues with anxiety.” “We were concerned but had no idea what to do about it.” “At first, I attributed it to puberty hormones and teenage angst. Then I attributed it to depression… but...Read More

Part 1 of the series, What Parents Need to Know: “Hope Academy Parents Share Their Experiences” “Her personality started to change. She had been a fun loving, smiling, logical thinking teenager. She turned into a moody, easy to anger, sometimes no making sense teenager.” “Towards the latter part of her freshman year, she was hanging...Read More

Alcohol and drug use among teens is not a new phenomenon. It is also a circumstance that shakes parents to their core with fear, and with good reason. Have you ever wondered what you would do if your child was using alcohol and/or drugs? This is probably a common thought that all of us have...Read More