Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents & Teens in Phoenix, AZ

Caring For Teens with Substance Use Disorders


Substance abuse is an umbrella term used to refer to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Adolescents and teens with substance use disorders face challenges that adults living with addiction do not.

Teen substance abuse comes with all of the usual risks of addiction, but those risks are compounded by the fact that young people are still growing and developing. Young bodies and brains are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of drugs and alcohol.

For many, abusing addictive substances is a quiet cry for help, veiled under rebellious or experimental behaviors. This makes it imperative to understand the differences and know the signs.

Teen substance abuse may manifest as deteriorating school performance, withdrawal from activities and friends, depression, mood swings, and noticeable changes in physical appearance or hygiene.

Teen Addiction Treatment at Horizon Recovery


At Horizon Recovery Healing Centers, our mission is to provide compassionate, effective substance use disorder treatment for teens and adolescents. Here, we offer dual-diagnosis treatment that recognizes the substantial impact that co-occurring mental health disorders can have in complicating and contributing to teen addiction.

Our program is built upon a foundation of kindness and empathy, but we always emphasize personal responsibility in recovery. Horizon Recovery Healing Centers utilizes evidence-based treatment modalities that are proven effective by peer-reviewed clinical research and our own experience. Our distinct blend of compassion and clinical expertise makes us unique in our field.

What teens living with a substance use disorder need:

  • A safe place where they will be seen, heard, and understood.
  • A strong working knowledge of addiction and its pitfalls and hazards.
  • Careful diagnosis and treatment of any co-occurring mental health disorders.
  • Practical and effective tools for managing their emotions and challenges.
  • Guidance and a system for living in recovery that facilitates continued growth.

Solutions for Substance Abuse in Adolescents and Teens


Residential addiction treatment for teens represents our highest level of care. Teens and adolescents caught in the undertow of addiction benefit most from an immersive therapeutic environment where they are safe to begin the healing process. Offering a substance abuse treatment program tailor-made for teens ensures that your son, daughter, or loved one receives precisely the right kind of help.

When outpatient counseling, meetings, and other attempts to change addictive behavior haven’t succeeded, residential teen drug and alcohol rehab is the missing piece of the puzzle. Safely separated from negative influences and toxic relationships, adolescents and teens at Horizon Recovery gain valuable perspectives on their situation and begin to heal.

The Levels of Care at Horizon Recovery:

What We Offer

We provide teens breathing room and a chance to begin to make sense of their often conflicting thoughts and feelings. With our guidance and expertise, teens begin to understand themselves better. They begin to understand that drugs and alcohol aren’t a solution – but a trap. We provide the safe, nurturing environment they need to heal. But also the self-knowledge and tools they need to continue growing and thriving in their recovery long after treatment.

Bringing The Family to The Table

One key difference between Horizon Recovery Healing Centers and most other adolescent treatment programs is the level of family involvement. We go above and beyond what is required, standard, or customary.

Our family support is exceptional because we believe that addiction affects and involves the whole family. This means the family can and should also heal together.

Our family liaisons also help ensure clear communication between the treatment team and family members.

The Horizon Recovery Philosophy of Care


In our view, every teenager with a substance use disorder has the willingness and ability to recover. Some need more help than others to unlock that potential — but ultimately, no one wants to be mired in addiction. It’s our job to get to know them as individuals first. While people with addiction have many things in common, each has their own unique set of circumstances.

Addressing the underlying causes and conditions which contribute to addiction is one of the keys to lasting recovery. It isn’t enough to simply treat symptoms. We carefully evaluate each teen we treat to understand how their experiences and biology may have shaped their disorder. We diagnose and treat depression, anxiety, and other co-occurring conditions as well.

Our evidence-based treatment approach:

  • Relies on careful diagnosis of substance use and mental health disorders.
  • Applies treatment methods proven effective by clinical research.
  • Evolves with the patient as they progress through their treatment.

Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment for Teens


Our program is guided by the principles of evidence-based care. This means we follow the science. Our addiction treatment methods are chosen for their proven effectiveness in clinical research. Thoughtful diagnosis of any co-occurring mental health disorders is followed by compassionate treatment.

Our rigorous approach to clinical excellence never compromises the human element. We see every teen as an individual with a unique experience, needs, and challenges. Every teen we treat receives an individualized care plan that evolves as they progress through treatment.

Our therapeutic approach to addressing mental health conditions incorporates evidence-based methods, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. We aim not just to manage symptoms but to identify the root causes of these issues, empowering our young patients with the skills and understanding to maintain their mental health in the long term.

Addiction Treatment

Our addiction treatment program is designed to remove distractions and provide the structure and support necessary for recovery. By focusing on healthy lifestyle changes, we equip the adolescents in our care with the tools and habits that foster growth, stability, and maturity, essential for overcoming a substance use disorder.

For those grappling with co-occurring mental health and addiction issues, our dual diagnosis treatment provides a comprehensive approach that addresses both problems simultaneously. This behavioral health holistic approach provides the best chance for sustainable recovery and a healthier future.


Being a parent of a teen grappling with addiction in the 2020s can be pretty frightening. The rise of deadly fentanyl mixed with a wide range of other substances has led to an alarming rise in overdose deaths. Social media and the “dark web” have made illegal drugs easier to access than ever before. Troubling trends in teen mental health are undoubtedly contributing to adolescent and teen substance abuse as well.

There are good reasons for hope, however. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), adolescent substance use has stabilized following an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teen treatment programs, like Horizon Recovery, have risen to the challenge of adolescent addiction as well. It’s safe to say that mental health and substance abuse treatment for teens is more effective than ever.

That said, the overall trends in substance abuse among America’s young people are still concerning. The existence of top-notch medical treatment is helpful, of course, but only if teens avail themselves of the help that’s offered. Horizon Recovery is dedicated to helping young people recover and become more resilient to addiction and better equipped to cope with life’s challenges.

  • 21.5% of 10th graders and 32.6% of 12th graders surveyed reported drug use in 2022.
  • 40%+ of 18-year-olds surveyed reported at least 2 signs of a substance use disorder.
  • 31.3% of 10th graders and 51.9% of 12th graders reported alcohol use in 2022.
  • Over 3,600 adolescents die due to alcohol-related causes each year in the U.S.
  • There were 1,146 adolescent drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021.

The drug abuse threats to Generation Z faces are different than what their parents face:

  • Online drug transactions by teens have increased by 25% since 2019.
  • Per the NIH, marijuana contains 3 times as much THC on average as it did in 1995.
  • The spread of fentanyl has led to over 250,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. since 2018.
  • New synthetic drugs of abuse are emerging at a faster rate than at any time in history.

Horizon Recovery: Compassionate Addiction Care


Our mission at Horizon Recovery is simple. We aim to provide the best evidence-based addiction care for teens available. Simple does not mean easy, though. We have invested countless hours and days into developing what we believe is the best adolescent addiction recovery program of its kind.

Whether your teen is struggling with major depression, an anxiety disorder, substance abuse, or a combination of challenges, we’re ready to help. We understand the stress and strain these challenges can put on a family. We’ve been there, and we know the way forward.

When you choose Horizon Recovery Healing Centers for your teen’s treatment, you can rest assured that they will receive exceptional care from the Southwest’s leading teen and adolescent addiction treatment centers. We welcome the opportunity to help introduce your teen to a life in recovery.

Please call us at (602) 755-7858 with any questions or concerns.