[Therapeutic approach to adolescent drug addicts]

Changes that the adolescent psychical structure undergoes--due to the very vicissitudes of this development stage--tend to promote, and favor acting out mechanisms (i.e. an alloplastic coping of conflicts), as a homeostatic resource. Hence, the risk for youths to abuse drugs as an internal equilibrium element is higher at that stage than it should be expected in adulthood. Owing to the complexity of such a phenomenon, it is suggested than both the understanding of the situation at stake as well as the therapeutic intervention among adolescents with drug abuse problems should focus on the multidisciplinary side. Three basic therapeutic approaches for the treatment of drug abusing adolescents--namely psychodynamic, medical, and psychosocial perspectives, respectively--are briefly commented, and illustrated with clinical vignettes.