Deciding whether or not depression treatment centers for teenagers is the right spot for your teen can be one of the hardest decisions to make, but sometimes it is necessary to help your child overcome such a devastating disorder. After all, depression and its counterpart bipolar disorder have significant lows that can affect the quality of life and even cause your adolescent to have thoughts of self-harm.
If you decide inpatient treatment is the best option, you will want a center that provides the best care for your child while ensuring that it can accommodate their needs. There are many options, so take the extra time to do your research because sometimes, the little things can make a huge difference.
As this choice can be overwhelming, we will help you narrow the field with some essential factors to consider in viable treatment institutions to help you make the right choice.
How Do I Know If I Should Try Inpatient Services?
Much of this decision lies in how greatly depression affects your child’s quality of life. If their low spirits have continued for a prolonged period of time and their academic, social, and home life are suffering, these are symptoms that you should be proactive to try to right the ship before the disorder becomes more severe.
Medicine may be an option, and therapy is an excellent choice, in particular Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), which offers advice for coping with depression and breaks down the problem using positive thinking. However, if preliminary techniques are not proving viable solutions to the problem, and you have tried all other feasible options – it may be time to consider a depression facility.
If your child’s behavior becomes overly aggressive or they are struggling with dangerous thoughts such as suicide or self-harm, you should consider a more intensive professional help program to ensure their safety. In the event of an emergency situation, remember that dialing “988” will get you the Crisis and Suicide Hotline.
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What to Look for in a Treatment Center
Your teen’s welfare is most important when researching potential facilities. To that end, you should evaluate each candidate on various criteria. Here are some of the key features to compare and contrast:
Staff Accreditation
Arguably the most critical feature of a treatment center is the quality of the care. Foremost, investigate the staff’s credentials and experience, as these two aspects are vital in determining the overall expertise level of the facility. If the therapists have significant cumulative years of experience, they have likely encountered a wide variety of personalities and know which methods are most effective for varying challenges. No two patients are the same, so versatility is an essential element.
Individualized Plans
On that note, the best treatment centers take that versatility into account and prepare treatment plans specifically for your child after performing a battery of evaluations to determine the best course of action. Some facilities try to use a cookie-cutter formula for everyone, which leaves some children out in the cold as they may not respond well. Examine the types of therapy and the methodology each center uses, and it doesn’t hurt to call prospective candidates and discuss how they approach treatment.
Willingness to Embrace Family Participation
Some depression facilities frown upon familial participation in treatment options to one extent or another, as they are still evaluating potential stressors that may play a role in the teen’s depression. Nonetheless, your child will not be in the inpatient center indefinitely. When they return home, having a solid, supportive family that understands how to address their needs can make a world of difference.
Treatment centers that embrace the family as part of the therapeutic process can help strengthen bonds while offering invaluable insight into what parents, siblings, and extended family can do at home to battle depression and build an environment conducive to positive mental health.
You and the other key people in your child’s life have a significant role to play, and if you are present to receive an education on depression and techniques that prove effective, you can be a part of the treatment process.
The Aftercare Plan
Professionals who design an effective aftercare program show that they care enough about their patients to make every effort to ensure they do not have to return to an inpatient treatment center. This may involve continuing therapy, having a case worker to keep an eye on your teen’s progress, encouraging the family as a vital support network, or participating in group support classes.
Peer Support
While it can sometimes feel like you do not know your teenager at all, especially since their personality and behavior are changing due to puberty, you may have a clue as to how well your teen interacts with others. Some teens feel like parents can never understand their challenges and refuse to open up; having peers around them experiencing the same obstacles because of depression can give them a forum for talking about their issues.
If you feel like your child would benefit from peer support, evaluate the role of other patients in the facility’s treatment plans. Knowing that they are not alone can help bolster their participation while opening the door to new friends and avenues of support extending beyond the treatment center into their regular life.
Creature Comforts
It is easy to discount the availability of amenities in a facility, as the focus is often on the care plan and treatment options; however, for many teens, a positive environment with good food, a welcoming atmosphere, comfortable quarters, and entertainment options can be a significant factor. If they feel at home, they are more likely to participate in treatment – added stress will negatively impact the symptoms that need resolution.
The Bottom Line
When looking for the best depression treatment center, consider the overall package – while the quality of care is vital, other factors can mean a lot for your child. Places that are versatile and accommodating, willing to include family and peer support while preparing for future treatment, are choices you will want to add to your top candidate list. Even though financial concerns are not on this list, they are still important, so having several options will help you select the best care for your budget.