Adolescent Psychiatric Stabilization

With teens, who by nature are moody and unpredictable, it is sometimes difficult to read their emotional state correctly.  There is a vast difference between an adolescent who is in a foul mood, sad about a specific social incident, or nervous about an exam and a teen experiencing serious emotional distress.  When a teen begins exhibiting extreme mood swings or talks of wanting to kill themselves it is appropriate to look into adolescent psychiatric stabilization programs that can intervene immediately.

Teen Mental Illness

When a teenage begins to show signs of a possible mental health disorder it is best to first schedule a physical exam with the primary care physician.  This will allow a doctor to rule out any health condition that may be responsible for the recent changes in mood and habits.  If the physical exam does not reveal a health problem, the next step is to have the teen evaluated by a psychiatrist.  Some parents, however, may choose to first have the teen engage in some counseling sessions with a psychotherapist.  If after a certain number of therapy sessions it is determined that medication may be warranted, the psychiatrist is then seen.

There are growing concerns about the increase in teen depression, anxiety, and suicide rates for this demographic.  Increasingly, the teen’s world is becoming more stressful, with bullying, social media harassment, and intense academic pressure taking their toll on teens.  Family problems, such as divorce, loss of a family member, or a family member with a serious medical condition can contribute to teen mood disorders as well.  Other causes are physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or substance use disorder.  Teen suicide rates continue to climb consistently since 2010, according to statistics provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, underscoring the need to pay attention to our youth and not be in denial.

Teens can experience any one, or combination of, a variety of mental health disorders.  According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 20% of American teenagers are living with a mental health condition.  These might include depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorders, dual diagnosis, personality disorders, or bipolar disorder.

When is Adolescent Psychiatric Stabilization Necessary?

If the teen is being treated for a mental health condition and continues to see their condition deteriorate, more enhanced intervention may be necessary to get the teen stabilized.  This is usually determined by symptoms becoming more intensified, including angry outbursts, threats of suicide, displays of violent behavior, an inability to function at school, or a psychotic break featuring hallucinations and/or psychosis.

Psychiatric acute stabilization for teens involves an inpatient stay in a mental health program for adolescents where the teen will be safe and monitored 24/7.  These programs are run by psychiatrists and doctors who specialize in treating teen mental health disorders.  There the teen will be given a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation to determine the best treatment modalities to stabilize the crisis event.

What to Expect in Adolescent Psychiatric Stabilization

After admittance into the teen mental health facility a customized treatment plan will be created based on the risk-assessment, mental health history and the psych evaluation.  With the primary focus on stabilizing the teen to prevent injury to him or herself or others, the teen may be initially placed in an isolated area where they can be monitored constantly.  Following the psychiatric stabilization phase of treatment, the teenager will step down to active treatment.

In addition to medication management, board certified psychiatrists, therapists, and clinicians will provide intensive multi-disciplinary therapeutic interventions during their inpatient stay.  This individual psychotherapy and group therapy will offer the coping skills to help the adolescent manage their emotions and thought-behavioral responses.  The overall mission of a teen mental health program is to help the adolescent with techniques and new habits that can improve their functioning at school, with family, and general social interactions.

BNI Treatment Centers Provides Adolescent Psychiatric Stabilization

BNI Treatment Centers is a highly regarded doctor-owned and operated teen mental health inpatient facility in California.  The inpatient program for adolescents provides psychiatric stabilization services, as well as ongoing treatment for a mental health disorder.  BNI Treatment Centers treats teens 12-17 from throughout the United States and International. The teen programs feature innovative treatment methods in addition to traditional therapy, which include surf therapy, equine therapy, drama therapy, music/art/dance therapy, and holistic therapies like yoga and mindfulness training.  For more information about the teen mental health program, please contact BNI Treatment Centers today at (888) 522-1504.