Alcohol abuse is the excessive and repeated drinking of alcoholic beverages either on individual occasions or on a regular basis. This problem is especially disturbing for parents after research studies showed that abusive drinking for teenagers is increasing every year despite strict implementation of underage drinking laws.

Therefore, it is not surprising the number of teenagers being entered by their parents in adolescent alcohol treatment programs are increasing every year. If you have already determined that your teenage daughter or son has a drinking problem that needs to be treated, you can take him or her to a professional expert that will give you some advice for the best form of treatment program.

The adolescent alcohol treatment programs are usually in two forms - the inpatient and outpatient programs. The outpatient adolescent alcohol addiction program usually consists of multidimensional approaches, which include cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, positive reinforcement, and the 12-step program.

In an inpatient adolescent alcohol treatment program, the patient attends counseling and detoxification sessions during the day, but can go home at night after the sessions. The inpatient program is when the patient is committed in an adolescent alcohol treatment facility due to the seriousness of his alcoholic addiction or dependency. This program's duration can lasts from six months to one year and consists of approaches for teaching complete abstinence from drinking, behavioral modification, and developing coping abilities.

If an adolescent alcohol treatment center is needed for the teenager, be sure to find one that is dedicated to abstinence and long term change in regards to integrity, education and personal goals. There are several things that you should consider in selecting a rehab facility - admission process, location of the facility, the costs of the rehabilitation, accreditation license, duration and philosophy of the treatment used, and staff qualifications.