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I have spent most of my adult life working with adolescents in rehab situations. I was hired at the age of 18 to work with teens and their parents who were dealing with issues regarding drug abuse and addiction. From there I went on to work in various rehabs and group homes that dealt primarily with teens and their substance abuse issues.

What I have come to know through my experience is that there are a lot of teens who, at a certain age, do need help through the use of psychotropic medication however, this should be monitored. When left to their own vices it can become a way to escape and numb some or all of the feelings which these medications are meant to help with. Through advances in medical and psychological studies we have come to know that during the years of adolescence we go through many fluctuations in hormones and brain growth which, in many teens, can cause depression, bi-polar disorder, etc.

At the age of 15, being an addict myself, I was prescribed medication to help me with my mood fluctuations due partly to my drug use, and partly to just being a teenager in general. I took the medication for about 9 months until I could learn to control my mood swings and cope once again with life on a daily basis. That is not to say that my mom wasn't a big help in making sure that I was well evaluated monthly by a psychiatrist and she also made sure that I was not using my own medication in abundance to self medicate. I believe these to be the two biggest keys in the success of my "prescription therapy".

I believe that all teenagers, or children for that matter, who are under the treatment of a psychiatrist should be carefully monitored. There are, sadly, too many doctors who will hand out medication at the drop of a hat to keep parents from worrying and also keep the teen or child happy. It has been my experience that teenagers will con adults around them into believing there is a bigger problem than what truly exists. For instance, if you know they are sleeping well every night don't allow them to tell their doctor they need sleeping meds. As parents we have to monitor their behavior closely so that we can see the red flag when it comes up.

My advice to any parent or child care worker who is looking into psychiatric treatment for their teenager is this. 1) Before any psychotropic medication is prescribed first seek the advice of a good therapist/psychologist who will evaluate their personal situation. 2) Investigate the psychiatrist you will be going to.

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