Synthetic Marijuana Abuse Rehab & Treatment Center for Adolescents & Teens in Utah

For 30 years, Youth Care Treatment Center has helped teens all over the United States overcome synthetic marijuana abuse and similar problems. Our unique approach features superior clinical services, compassionate support, and an emphasis on respect, integrity, and accountability.

Learn More About Synthetic Marijuana Abuse Treatment

Learn more about synthetic marijuana abuse treatment at Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah

Synthetic marijuana, often referred to as spice or K2, is a dangerous and relatively new drug that was originally designed to mimic the effects of natural marijuana. Made of a collection of various chemicals and plant material, synthetic marijuana provides users with a euphoric high and feelings of detachment from their surroundings. While this drug is popular among young people, it is especially dangerous because manufacturers of the drug are continually altering the mix of chemicals present in an effort to avoid government regulations. Unfortunately, this practice can result in a user not knowing what formulation of the drug they are ingesting. The user is often unable to predict the effects of the drug when its contents are unknown, which leaves that individual vulnerable to experiencing extreme feelings of fear and paranoia. Furthermore, because the drug is new, there is little research on the long-term effects of its use. Because of the known dangers associated with K2 use, it is important for adolescents or teens who abuse this drug to receive effective synthetic marijuana abuse rehab.

Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah is an excellent option for adolescents or teens who need to overcome a synthetic marijuana addiction. With over 25 years of experience working with adolescents or teens, we understand the unique rehab needs adolescents have, and our caring and experienced staff at our treatment center are dedicated to creating an environment where young people can take steps towards recovery from an addiction to this toxic drug.

How to Help a Loved One

Helping a loved one get treatment for synthetic marijuana abuse

It can be excruciating to be a parent of an adolescent or teen who is spiraling into a synthetic marijuana addiction. You may feel as though there little you can do, and that any attempt to help will be ineffective. While it is understandable to feel discouraged, it is important to remember that there is still hope and you can still take steps to help your child or adolescent. Some of these steps may include:

  • Learn what you can about synthetic marijuana. Become familiar with the signs of intoxication and overdose, and talk with mental health experts about what you can do to help your child.
  • Research synthetic marijuana rehab options and select a few that you feel may be a good fit for your child or adolescent.
  • Maintain an open line of communication with your child or adolescent. Let them know in a gentle and nonjudgmental manner that you are aware of their synthetic marijuana abuse problem. Your child or adolescent may resist your efforts to discuss the problem, and may deny having a problem altogether, but it is important for you to take the lead in getting your child the help they need.
  • Once your child is in synthetic marijuana abuse rehab, keep in touch with your child’s therapist and inquire about your child’s progress. If possible, attend family sessions that the treatment may provide. Also, reiterate frequently to your child that you will always love them.
  • Nurture yourself. Parents of adolescents or teens with substance abuse problems can find themselves feeling drained, so make sure to engage in activities that restore you. Take some personal time, and you might even consider joining a support group for parents of adolescents or teens with substance abuse problems.

Why Consider Treatment

Why consider treatment for synthetic marijuana abuse at Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah

Though it is a new drug, synthetic marijuana has already developed a reputation for being dangerous. People who use it have experienced intense episodes of paranoia and some have even died suddenly as a result of abusing the drug. Because the long-term effects of synthetic marijuana use are not yet known, it is important to seek rehab as soon as possible. Synthetic marijuana use comes with the risk of many negative effects, including poor academic performance, expulsion from school, arrests, loss of career or college options, social isolation, worsening physical health, organ damage, cardiovascular problems, and death from overdose. Seeking rehab for this debilitating addiction, however, can allow an adolescent or teen to avoid these negative effects completely and can restore their ability to live fruitful and successful lives.

Our synthetic marijuana rehab center in Utah specializes in healing the psychological and physiological pains associated with synthetic marijuana addiction. Our synthetic marijuana addiction treatment plans are customized to each adolescent or teen. We believe that no two individuals are alike, and therefore are determined to supply a number of different services and rehab that can be adjusted to meet the needs of each adolescent or teen who seeks synthetic marijuana addiction treatment at the rehab center at Youth Care.

Our Philosophy

Youth Care Treatment Center philosophy and benefits

At Youth Care, we believe that teens in crisis are best served in a home-like setting that emphasizes personalized interactions, close supervision and comprehensive professional support.

In this supportive therapeutic environment, students benefit from the guidance of caring professionals who know them not merely as clients, but as unique individuals with specific strengths, weaknesses, hopes and fears.

The Youth Care environment is built upon a foundation of mutual respect. Our students are expected to treat staff and peers with respect and in return they can expect to be treated with respect.

Staff members are trained to apply consequences and provide feedback for students in a respectful manner without demeaning or belittling the adolescent.

We feel strongly about the value of long-lasting family relationships, and we believe that family involvement is critical to the success of the child, both while in treatment and following placement.

To support these beliefs, our program is designed to help students develop a greater appreciation for their own families – and we strive to include the family in the therapeutic process as much as possible.

Here are our five core values:

  • Respect – for our patients, our employees, and our community
  • Integrity – in our dealings with all those whose lives we touch
  • Accountability – to our patients and their families, and to our colleagues
  • Responsibility – for the decisions we make and the actions we take
  • Excellence – in every task we perform

Types of Treatment

Types of synthetic marijuana abuse treatment offered at Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah

Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah provides life-changing residential rehab in a peaceful, home-like setting for adolescents or teens who are struggling with a wide range of mental health disorders and behavioral problems, including synthetic marijuana abuse and addiction. Our treatment center’s philosophy is based upon honoring the unique strengths and capabilities of the young people who are entrusted into our care and encouraging them to embrace the concepts of accountability, responsibility, and respect while making the changes that will allow them to lead healthier and more productive lives.

Treatment at our synthetic marijuana abuse rehab center is an intensive and highly personalized experience. During an average week, adolescents or teens will receive 20 hours of clinical services that have been integrated into a customized multidisciplinary treatment plan that reflects the needs and strengths that were identified during a thorough assessment and evaluation process.

At our synthetic marijuana abuse rehab center in Utah, we place great emphasis on helping our students recognize the choices they have made, understand the natural consequences that can occur as a result of these choices, develop self-confidence, and conduct themselves in a manner that promotes dignity, respect, and trust. The family-like structure of our program is designed to model and reinforce important life lessons that will support our students’ efforts to establish healthy interpersonal relationships and achieve to their greatest potential in all aspects of their lives.

When a student enters our treatment center for the synthetic marijuana abuse and addiction, their personalized treatment plan may feature the following components:

Medication management: If an adolescent’s or teen’s compulsion to abuse synthetic marijuana is accompanied by certain co-occurring disorders, the inclusion of psychotropic medication in their rehab plan may be beneficial. Of course, medications will be prescribed only when clinically appropriate based upon a careful review of the student’s evaluation and the needs that were identified during that evaluation. Our treatment center’s students have the opportunity to participate in weekly meetings with a psychiatrist, and all medication management needs are handled by the psychiatrist and members of our nursing and medical teams.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy is an essential element of the therapeutic process at our rehab center in Utah. All of our students at our treatment center have the opportunity to meet with their primary therapists for one-on-one sessions three times each week. Also, students who are dealing with synthetic marijuana abuse and addiction concerns can meet with an addictions counselor once each week. These meetings provide a supportive environment in which adolescents or teens can discuss their progress, rehab successes and setbacks, and address issues that have arisen in the course of their treatment.

Group therapy: Group therapy sessions are conducted on a daily basis at our synthetic marijuana addiction treatment center. Led by trained professionals, these sessions serve an important role in the therapeutic process by allowing students to share insights, learn from the experiences of others, and practice interacting with adults and peers in a healthy, productive, and respectful manner. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the following types of groups on a regular basis throughout their time at Youth Care:

  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) groups are conducted once each week.
  • Addictions groups are conducted once each week.
  • Process groups are held 3 times each week.
  • Music therapy groups are conducted once each week.
  • Recreational therapy groups are conducted twice each week.

Family therapy: At our synthetic marijuana abuse rehab center, we have a deep and abiding appreciation for the value of the family both in the treatment process and in the continued recovery of adolescents or teens who have struggled with synthetic marijuana abuse and dependence. Our commitment to promoting healthy family dynamics is reflected in the emphasis we place on incorporating students’ families heavily into the synthetic marijuana addiction treatment process. Each week, the student’s primary therapist will conduct a family therapy session, and every six to eight weeks we conduct Parent Days at our rehab center, which feature educational seminars, multifamily group therapy, parent support groups, family therapy sessions, and family recreational activities.

Recreational therapy: Students who are being treated at our synthetic marijuana addiction rehab center benefit from an innovative and dynamic approach to residential care that features an array of recreational therapy opportunities. Under the guidance and supervision of our licensed recreational therapist, students participate in community recreational activities three to seven times per week. Recreational therapy serves as an effective complement to more traditional forms of therapy by engaging students in physical, cultural, and social accomplishments. Participating in recreational therapy provides students with enjoyable and motivational opportunities to work together while developing and honing essential skills, such as teamwork, problem solving, communication, and trust. Recreational therapy also helps students explore newfound interests, discover unknown talents, and improve their sense of self-worth and self-esteem.

Experiential therapy: In addition to the recreational therapies that are discussed in the previous section, the rehab plan for an adolescent or teen who is dealing with synthetic marijuana abuse and addiction at our rehab center in Utah may also include the following experiential therapies, if the student’s primary therapist determines that participating in such therapies is appropriate and beneficial to the student:

  • Exposure therapy
  • Expressive therapy
  • Situational therapy

Community service activities: All adolescents or teens in our addiction treatment center, including those who are receiving treatment for synthetic marijuana abuse and addiction, participate in community service activities at least twice each month. These activities help them develop greater empathy and a broader understanding of others, both of which can be beneficial to their recovery and their continued healthy development. The following are among the types of community service activities that may be featured during a student’s time at our rehab center:

  • Filling shelves at the Food Bank
  • Visiting the elderly
  • Caring for animals at the Humane Society

Academics: A central tenet of our synthetic marijuana treatment center’s philosophy is our commitment to providing each student with the opportunity to achieve academic success. Our fully accredited academic program helps students to maintain and improve upon their academic progress while in rehab, and our students benefit from working with certified secondary education and special education teachers who have been specifically trained to teach and support adolescents who possess a range of learning abilities. Academic objectives are included in all students’ individualized rehab plans, and our services include a full day’s curriculum in a traditional academic setting from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday, with therapeutic interventions being interwoven throughout students’ daily schedules.

In addition to our residential services, our synthetic marijuana addiction treatment center also offers partial hospitalization programming (PHP) for students who do not require the intensity of the residential experience. This day treatment option allows students to benefit from the same daily rehab that is offered to students who are receiving residential treatment, yet gives them the opportunity to return home at the end of each treatment day.

If your child or adolescent is struggling with synthetic marijuana abuse or addiction, and you believe that they can benefit from receiving clinically sophisticated care within the confines of a safe, structured, and supportive environment, our rehab center may have the solutions that you have been searching for. With experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing comprehensive services that have been customized to meet your child’s or adolescent’s specific needs, Youth Care Treatment Center in Utah provides a life-changing opportunity for your adolescent or teen to overcome the obstacles that have been preventing them from achieving their potential.

Marks of Quality Care
  • American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
  • Cognia
  • National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP)
  • The Joint Commission (JCAHO) Gold Seal of Approval

As a parent, I highly recommend Youth Care. We were involved in all aspects of my child's treatment plan, the staff provided a safe and friendly environment, we enjoyed parent day participation and, most importantly, the therapy my child received while at Youth Care was exceptional - pretty much life-changing. My child made more progress there than had been made in years of therapy elsewhere.

– Michelle S.