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Recovery

Find Dual Diagnosis Teen Programs Near Southern California

Find Dual Diagnosis Teen Programs Near Southern California

Dual diagnosis, often used interchangeably with co-occurring illnesses, co-morbidity, co-morbid disorders, dual disorders, double trouble, concurrent disorders, or co-occurring disorders, is a term used to describe a condition where the same person is suffering from a mental illness and co-morbid substance abuse. Many people with drug and alcohol problems are usually likely to suffer from a range of mental health complications such as depression and anxiety, compared to the rest of the society.  

But how do you tell which problem came first? Did their mental problems prompt them to use drugs, or did the drugs cause the mental illnesses? Considering the fact that use of drugs often intensifies mental illness, dual diagnosis can be very difficult to treat. It has also been found that mental illnesses and substance abuse do not overlap, meaning that the two conditions have to be diagnosed separately. What if a person completely recovers from one condition but fails to acknowledge the other? Each illness usually has symptoms that can affect the teen’s ability to function properly.

Vision Adolescent Treatment Centers now provide dual diagnosis programs in teens for victims, offering both psychiatric diagnosis and substance abuse diagnosis.

What are the characteristics of dual diagnosis?

Experts in dual diagnosis programs in teens have found that teens suffering from dual disorders are likely to have the following characteristics;

  • Highly emotional
  • Don’t easily cooperate with healthcare providers
  • Are mostly alienated with little to no support from their families
  • Often have severe psychiatric symptoms
  • Are prone to relapses
  • Are frequently hospitalized or taken to emergency or accident departments

Dual diagnosis patients are often blamed by healthcare providers for being difficult to work with or unresponsive to treatment. Healthcare providers are also known to treat alcohol and drugs as a secondary illness, even if that may not be the case. Sometimes the mental illness is treated and the drug abuse dismissed as a minor side effect. Proper diagnosis and treatment of dual diagnosis will therefore remain a challenge for the foreseeable future, though there are ongoing collaborative efforts to make it a health care priority.

The dual diagnosis programs near southern California aim at effectively diagnosing the condition leading to proper treatment, as well as family and self care training.

Please click below to schedule your consultation, or call us at 866-889-3665

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Recovery

Find CA Treatment Centers For Depression in Adolescence

Find CA Treatment Centers for Depression in Adolescence

Depression affects 16% of the population in the US. What is astonishing is how many more teens suffer from medical depression as compared to children. From a prevalence rate of just 2% in children, depression is reported to affect up to 7% of adolescents and a massive 20% of teens. This tells you just how vulnerable our sons and daughters are on their way to adulthood. Even worse is the fact that 8% of depression cases in teens usually last longer than a year.  

Well, depression is now treatable with treatment centers for teen depression, but how many teens are receiving help? Research shows that only one out of five depressed teens receive treatment. This is because these kids rely on their parents, guardians, and teachers to identify their problems and assist them in finding treatment.

As a parent it is therefore important that you learn to differentiate the “bad moods” from medical depression. Teen depression, unlike occasional mood swings, is a serious medical condition that if left unchecked, can lead to alcohol abuse, pregnancy, self-loathing, violence, self injury, and even suicide.

Symptoms         

Some of the symptoms you will be looking out for include:

  • Sadness
  • Relentlessness
  • High emotions
  • Withdrawal from family and friends
  • Changes in sleeping and eating habits
  • Lack of energy
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Feeling of worthlessness
  • Lack of motivation

One way of telling whether or not its depression is to consider how long the condition lasts and the impacts it is having on the teen. How much has it changed his or her lifestyle, personality, and behavior?

Seek professional help from treatment centers for teen depression

As soon as you establish that the teen is suffering from depression, you’ll need to immediately inform your doctor. The doctor will start by performing a depression screening, then follow it up with a complete physical exam. Blood samples are usually taken to help determine the cause of the condition.

However, for a complete diagnosis and treatment of depression, your teen will need to see a specialist psychiatrist or psychologist.

For those who live in California, please click below to schedule your consultation or call 866-889-3665 to speak with a specialist at Vision Adolescent Treatment Centers.

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Holidays Recovery Self-Care

The Memorial Day Holiday Weekend and Self-Care

Memorial Day holiday weekend,  and holidays this time of year, tend to bring up an image of BBQs, beer and parties:  Lots of parties.

The Memorial Day holiday weekend is emblematic of the beginning of Summer, despite it being a about honoring those who died in active military service.  When you’re an addict or alcoholic, however, most holidays take on one meaning, and one meaning only: a means to getting high. But when you come into recovery, the meanings of holidays need to change. They need to evolve into opportunities for making healthier choices, sober fun, and creating positive memories.

In the newness of recovery, however, a holiday weekend can seem overwhelming, perhaps daunting. The thought of suddenly having to shift perspectives, change social circles, and ultimately change how we show up on our lives is tough. I challenge you to shift your perspective and begin to look at holidays as an opportunity for self-care.

Here are some helpful tips to help you stay on track on any holiday weekend and also take care of yourself in the process:

  • Go outside! Take a walk with a friend or go on a hike;
  • Go to extra meetings;
  • Call your sponsor;
  • Be of service some examples of being of service are:
    • Buy a coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks.
    • Give a homeless person a meal.
    • Volunteer at an animal shelter.
    • Offer to help an elderly neighbor with their groceries.
    • Take a commitment at a meeting
  • Host or attend a sober event. For example, have a BBQ at a park – do silly activities like 3-legged races, water balloon fights, or tug of war.
  • Practice meditation or yoga – both are a great means of self-care and they do wonders to regulate your nervous system;
  • Don’t be afraid to say “no.” If something doesn’t feel right to you, “no” is a perfectly acceptable answer. It’s a boundary and good practice in recovery.
  • Ask for help: One of the hardest lessons to learn when we get sober is that we cannot do this alone. Asking for help is a learned skill for a lot of us. If you are lonely, or overwhelmed, or emotionally triggered, reach out to someone.

And last but not least, Don’t forget to have fun. Find the joy in the little things: the light on a flower, the smell of the ocean, the sand between your toes, your friend’s laugh, a great cup of coffee, a beautiful sunset, or a great movie (or one so bad that it’s good!). Have a safe and sober weekend!

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Recovery

Find a Teen Drug Recovery Center That Offers Drug Testing

Find a Teen Drug Recovery Center that Offers Drug Testing

Research shows that teens are unlikely to report their use of illicit drugs even if a test looms. What that tells you is that they are even less likely to tell you (parents) about their use of Molly, Marijuana, and other drugs. There is therefore an increased need to use more than just self-reporting when you suspect that your child is using drugs or when you can actually see the symptoms.  

Confidential questionnaires reveal that adolescents are 52% more likely to test positive for drugs than tell anyone about it. But then that is to be expected. As humans, it’s natural for us not to tell people what they don’t want to hear. If we think that what we are about to say will make us socially unacceptable or make people change how they think about us, we will be reluctant to speak about it. The teens often play down their drug use even when they are certain of an upcoming test.

At Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, if the psychologists feel that it is important to know whether or not the teen abuses a drug, because there are signs or symptoms of drug use, they will not rely on what the teens tell them anymore.  Where there is sufficient evidence of drug use and the teen can’t admit to it, testing becomes the most reliable way to get a response.

Even more worrying is the fact that kids are most likely to lie about the hard drugs, as opposed to tobacco, alcohol, and to a lesser extent, marijuana. This is because hard drugs are more socially unacceptable and the legal penalties against them are harsh.

Play Your Role as a Parent

The greatest advice for parents is to engage their children in constructive dialogue to help them stay away from drugs. And when you feel that your teen is using drugs, take the right action. At Visions teen drug recovery facilities, they will be tested and afterwards, benefit from professional counseling. Parents will also be advised on what to do depending on the outcome of the drug tests.

Please call 866-889-3665 to speak to a specialist at Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers or click below to schedule your consultation.

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Recovery

The Top 5 Behavioral Signs Your Teen May Need Help

The Top 5 Behavioral Signs Your Teen May Need Help

As any parent who has raised or is raising a teenager will tell you, it is by no means an easy feat. There are a lot of changes taking place in an adolescent’s body, and they are growing up. Whereas it is normal for a child’s behavior to change and teen behavior problems are bound to arise, some signs should act as a warning sign to a parent that their child is in need of help. Listed below are some of the teen behavior problems that should cause great concern in any parent:  

  • Depression or emotional distress

When a teen is displaying signs of depression or emotional distress, it is an indication that they are dealing with something that they cannot handle well. Some of the symptoms of depression and emotional distress include mood swings, insomnia, use of drugs such as prescription pills or alcohol, lethargy, change in eating patterns and dramatic changes in the teen’s behavior and personality.

Teen behavior problems are common in depressed and emotionally distressed teens who try to deal with what is troubling them in the wrong way. Helplessness and escapism mechanisms are the most common such as drug use.

  • Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts

Any teen that is engaging in self-injury or has attempted to commit suicide requires professional help. Though the reasons teens engage in self-harm are different from those that drive those attempting suicide, they are both a sign of a serious problem that should be addressed immediately.

  • Substance Abuse

One of the most common ways in which adolescents with teen behavior problems act out is by engaging in drugs. While it is understandable why a parent would feel angry on discovering that their child is using drugs, one must never deal with the child angrily.

Helping a teen recover from substance abuse requires patience, understanding and firmness, and getting professional help, such as from Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, is advised.

  • Violence and Anger

Any teen acting out violently towards other at home, school or anywhere else requires immediate help. Unwarranted anger and impulsiveness are other teen behavior problems that indicate a teen requires help and guidance.

  • Eating Disorders

If a teen is suffering from any eating disorder, they need help. This is to ensure the safety of their health and to deal with the emotional, psychological or social issues.

Click below or call one of our specialists at Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers.

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Recovery Service Treatment

Being of Service and Finding a Sponsor in Recovery

Being of service, requires a commitment to compassion and an ability to have firm boundaries.  Within the realm of the 12 steps, service work is imperative.  The formula, if you will, is Unity, Service, and Recovery. All three of these support each other. Without unity (fellowship), one is apt to isolate; without being of service, the tendency is toward selfishness. That said, without fellowship, and service work, your recovery becomes less stable. We need to support each other during this endeavor of healing and remember that recovery is not a lone-wolf venture. This is where sponsorship and mentorship come in.

 

Sponsors or mentors are there to guide you on your recovery path and they will always encourage you to be of service. They are there to take you through the 12 steps (or 4 noble truths of recovery if you are using the Refuge Recovery model), and to support your recovery. This also means they will hold the line when there’s resistance. Sometimes, this means hearing something you don’t want to hear, but the intention of a sponsor is to facilitate awareness around your recovery, not to co-sign negative behaviors.

 

Keep these things in mind when you are looking for someone to sponsor you and make sure they are:

 

  • An individual of the same sex. Yes, you can have a sponsor of the opposite sex, but it’s more beneficial to you and has less potential for complications if sponsorship is gender specific.
  • Someone who has what you want. I’m not talking cars, finances or partner, but someone whose spiritual life and sense of self is something you can strive toward or which you admire.
  • An individual whom you can trust. If there’s any reluctance, look to someone else.
  • Find someone whose actions reflect his or her words. A sponsor who functions under the guise of “do as I say, not as I do,” is not the one for you.
  • Someone whose recovery inspires you.

 

When you find someone you want to work with:

 

  • Call them, even when you don’t need anything. If you don’t have that relationship developed, you won’t call them when things are tough.
  • Be consistent. Remember the lengths you would take to use? Apply that same sense of urgency to your recovery.
  • If you think you made the wrong choice, realize it’s ok to move on. It’s your recovery, not theirs.

It’s helpful to remember what y our sponsor/mentor is and what your sponsor/mentor is not:

 

Your sponsor (is):

  • A guide
  • Spiritual
  • Kind
  • Honest
  • Tough when necessary
  • Works a program

 

Your sponsor is not:

  • An ATM
  • Your therapist
  • Your parent
  • Your best friend
  • A guru
  • Your lawyer
  • Your higher power
  • Perfect

 

If you are looking for a sponsor or mentor, keep this in mind: Finding the “right” sponsor/mentor may take time. If you are struggling with untreated mental illness, your sponsor should ultimately ask that you seek professional help.  They are morally obligated to do so. The relationship of sponsor/sponsee is one that will follow you through your sobriety and recovery.

 

Sometimes, you may come across someone who needs a recovery program but sincerely struggles to relate to the theistic practices of the 12 steps. I’ve had the honor of working with a couple of women who required the use of alternative language and while the steps are still applied and used to create a foundation of recovery, the use of intentions and meditation, breath and body awareness is also used to enhance recovery support.  Being of service is the one thing that is a through-line, regardless of program.

 

Over the last several years, there has been a groundswell of people in recovery seeking alternative recovery tools. Noah Levine, founder of Against the Stream aptly responded to this with Refuge Recovery.  This particular model “is a community of people who are using the practices of mindfulness, compassion, forgiveness and generosity to heal the pain and suffering that addiction has caused in their (sic) lives and the lives of their loved ones.” In essence, they have embedded service work into their recovery model in an influential way.

 

The act of looking at ourselves honestly and learning to sit in the discomfort of our feelings and emotions is transformative. Being of service allows us to get out of ourselves and into action. One thing that transcends all modalities of healing is this service work. There is always a way to recover and to be of service; sometimes it’s easier than others, but the key is not to give up. Reaching our hands out to help others demonstrates that our suffering is not unique to us–we all suffer, so why not help each other out?

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Recovery

How Do I Know if My Son is Addicted to Drugs

How Do I Know if My Son is Addicted to Drugs

Substance abuse is a very serious problem among teens and children. The adverse effects of the various drugs and substances such as alcohol, marijuana, heroin, and bath salts are even more pronounced in children whose bodies and brains are still maturing. Given that child drug addiction is increasing, it is even more important now for a parent to be on the lookout to ensure that they catch signs of child drug addiction and substance abuse early on.  

While there are various signs that can indicate that a child is using drugs, it is also important to remember that they could be a result of other problems or simply a result of changes the child is undergoing. This is especially true for teenagers, who get more moody and irritable with adolescence.

Mood swings, depression, irritability and sudden change in a child’s behavior or personality could be indications of child drug addiction or substance abuse. Child drug addiction causes sudden mood changes in a child who suffers from exhilarating highs and depressive lows. Although this does not necessarily imply that a child or adolescent is abusing drugs, the changes are usually a result of some other problem.

Child drug addiction also leads to psychological problems such as psychosis, hallucinations, delusion, paranoia, and confusion to name but a few. When a parent notices that their child has any of these symptoms, they should ensure that they are more observant to determine their cause. One should also initiate dialogue with the child, as it provides the basis of one being able to help them overcome child drug addiction.

Change in eating and sleeping patterns could also be symptomatic of child drug abuse. Whereas a child may suffer from insomnia or a noticeable change in sleeping patterns and not be using drugs, substance abuse could be the cause. Eating disorders, habits, and change in the amount of food a teen consumes also characterize child drug addiction.

Violence, irritability, problems at home and school, and withdrawal are other signs that could indicate a child is using drugs. This makes it hard for a teen to lead a constructive life and constantly gets them into trouble. Discovery of drug paraphernalia in a child’s room or in their possession is one of the surest signs of child drug addiction. In such a case, click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.

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Recovery

Help Me Control My Teen’s Emotions

Help me Control my Teen’s Emotions (Controlling your teen)

The adolescent stage can be a very trying period for kids. They are growing from childhood to adulthood, so often they struggle with being as dependant on their parents as they have been in the past. The biological and physical changes they are going through usually mean that their hormone levels fluctuate greatly resulting in unpredictable mood swings. This is also the time when they face harder classes, meet new teachers, and have to make quite a few new friends. All these factors put together can have an impact on your teen’s emotions.  

It is almost impossible to stop these changes from happening so as a parent you should be thinking of ways to help him or her control their emotions.

  1. Be the role model for healthy emotional self-care

Children learn from their parents. If they see you yell when you are frustrated, they will take it that people should act that way when emotional. Consider walking out of the room to calm down if you are frustrated and losing control of your temper. If you are always acting responsibly in front of your teen, he or she will learn to stay calm in tough situations.

  1. Guide behavior, but don’t punish

When the teen “misbehaves” out of emotions, try to resist the urge to shame or punish them. Consequences will only make them think that what is making them act the way they did is bad. In the future, they will try to repress their emotions, which will only compound the problem. Instead, you can use positive guidance and help them process emotions.

  1. Help them cry it out

Your teen is struggling because they are unable to control their emotions. If you can be available and compassionate, they will feel safe enough to come out and express their frustrations and fears in the open. If you can help them cry, the emotions will drain away with the tears and the acting out will vanish.

Teens need love and there couldn’t be a better time to give it to them in abundance than when they are frustrated. Always reassure them. If they feel appreciated, they will want to cooperate. They will be happier and forget about that “misbehavior.”

Call 866-889-3665 or click below to schedule your consultation with a Visions specialist.

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Adolescence Mental Health Mindfulness Recovery

Can Contemplative Practices Foster Recovery?

In addition to our therapeutic programs, Visions offers contemplative practices to our teens that teach and encourage skills for self-regulation and self-care. We have regular yoga classes and a weekly meditation group.

 

Jessica Rosen, founder of One Down Dog in Silverlake, heads up our yoga program. She brings in a playful element to yoga that the kids love. This allows them to reconnect with themselves in a profound way. I spoke to Jessica and asked her what she feels she brings to the clients, and how contemplative practices are helpful in recovery. She said, “Through the practice of yoga I hope to offer students the tools to get comfortable in discomfort. Through yoga and meditation we explore our challenges, we confront our inner critic, we gain clarity and find acceptance. For example, the ability to sit in a hip opener may help us sit through a tough breakup, or better handle confrontation and fights with our friends/parents, and gain confidence in ourselves and our appearance.”

 

I also asked Joseph Rogers, Visions Education Coordinator at the Visions Day School, Chaplain and meditation facilitator, how he feels meditation is helping the clients.  Joseph said, “The most immediate and greatest benefit is that the clients learn how to, as the Big Book says, ‘stop and pause when agitated.’ Additionally, I try to make a great deal of effort to put these kids on the path of compassion for themselves and others.”

 

The contemplative practices can have a profound effect on one’s ability to self-regulate, self-soothe, and connect with the present moment. Both offer a chance to pause, to look inward, and to come to a place of equanimity (mental calmness and composure) when faced with difficulty.

 

I too teach yoga to youth, and one thing I notice are the high levels of stress these kids face. The pressures of being cool, getting good grades, and the discomfort of the rapid physical changes can be overwhelming. This is where contemplative practices are useful. I’ve found that teaching kids the ability to take a deep breath and pause before responding or reacting to difficulty is hugely beneficial. Developing a sense of self-awareness helps eliminate the sense of perpetual urgency to respond or act on an impulse. The contemplative practices also engage the parasympathetic nervous system—the area within our nervous system that quiets the fight or flight response, quells anxiety, and brings things back into harmony.

 

There are three key tools for self-regulation, and the contemplative practices are the perfect conduit for them:

 

Grounding, Resourcing, and Orienting.

 

Grounding: Reconnecting to the present moment, your emotions and physical sensations. One grounds themselves by noticing their feet on the floor, or placing your hands on something solid in order to help themselves get back into the body. Taking deep breaths while you are doing this can help you track the sensations mindfully. Taking a time out when you are dysregulated is the first step to getting grounded.

 

Resourcing:  We all have resources within us or outside of ourselves. Resources are tools we can easily access that make us reconnect with calm. For example, breath can be a resource. Your hands on your belly or lap can be a resource. Your pet can be a resource. A resource is something that helps you feel good when everything around you is dismal.

 

Orienting:  Checking in with your surroundings. When we are not self-regulated, we check out. This is a disembodying experience–one that feels determinedly unsafe and out of control.  So when we orient, we do so by consciously noticing our surroundings and we do this by looking around the room, noticing where we are, where we are sitting or standing—Orienting is acute observation or present-time awareness.

 

The contemplatice practices of yoga and meditation provide a means of engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. They create a sense of awareness, and allow the practitioner to be ok with not being ok, and to accept where they are emotionally and physically in that particular moment in space and time.  Addiction and mental illness are dysregulating, but the use of contemplative practices opens the door to self-regulation, which does foster recovery.

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Recovery

How Do I Tell My Teen They Need Help For Their Mental Disorder

How Do I Tell My Teen They Need Help For Their Mental Disorder

When you have a mentally ill teen, the first advice is to speak with him or her about it and let them know that they need help. It can be a demanding process but you don’t have to be an expert to convince them to seek help.  

  • Seize the moment

Depending on your lifestyles and the moments you best enjoy together, you can start the conversation over e meal or during an ad break as you watch your favorite movie together. These informal spaces are perfect for starting conversations about serious topics. Never start by setting aside hours to talk about his or her mental illness.

  • Tell him or her that we all have mental problems

Actually that’s the truth; we all exist somewhere between the extremes. So no one is perfectly mentally sound, nor is there anyone who can be said to be totally mentally ill. Tell them that everyone deals with mental challenges on a daily basis and that mental wellness is not the equivalent of happiness. They should understand that mental health just like physical health fluctuates over the course of life.

  • Let them take control

Young people will have the experience of feeling low, fatigued, depressed or anxious. They have probably found themselves with eating disorders and the urge to inflict self harm. Explain to them that this is what is meant by teen mental disorders. Again you may want to ask questions indirectly to make your teen comfortable with the topic. For example, ask what they would do if they knew that someone was inflicting self injury.

  • Link teen mental disorders to other types of stigma

Let your teen understand that discrimination is unacceptable and that we can make a difference by opening up and being non-judgmental.

  • They can be helped

Make them know that their illness can be treated. Tell them that just like they see a doctor when they are physically sick, they needed to see a psychiatrist or a physician to treat their mental illness.

Please click below to schedule a consultation or call 866-889-3665 to speak to a professional at Visions.

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