Category: Recovery

Get Help for your Child from Top California Substance Abuse Programs

Substance abuse is the consumption of illegal or prescription drugs or other chemicals for nonmedical, recreational purposes. Most people who abuse substances do it to elicit a certain effect in the mind and the body in general. Abuse often begins as self medication, as a reaction or in escape of reality, but soon leads to uncontrollable dependence marked with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Drug abuse in children can cause irreparable damage to both physical and mental health often leading to stained relationships and poor academic performance. Consequences of drug abuse can also be fatal. Suicide which is the third leading cause of death in children is largely caused by substance abuse and mental issues.  

As soon as you suspect that your child is abusing a drug, it is important that you talk to him or her about the harmful effects of the drug. You can know they are addicted if you observe the following signs and symptoms;

• Drastic and sudden changes in mood and behavior.
• Unexpected changes in grooming and clothing habits
• Existence of suspicious drug paraphernalia in the home such as syringes, rolling papers, butane lighteners, unexplained pipes and makeshift smoking apparatus among others.
• Physical and health issues including nosebleeds, runny noses, excessive coughs and bronchitis, dental problems, red eyes and loss in weight among others.
• Psychological and cognitive symptoms including delusions, hallucinations, lowered threshold for violence, slow to react, slow speech, disorientation and confusion.
• Altered sleep and eating patterns
• Withdrawal from friends and family members and a loss in interest in once adored  activities

Treatment at Visions California based residential treatment center

At Visions Residential Treatment facility in California, children are taught how they can live a healthy, more rewarding life away from drugs. Unfortunately, many kids actually learn about the use of drugs from adults. Some start using drugs because they have seen others using it. If these kids were made to understand that drugs are actually bad not only for themselves but for the community in general, they would with time change their perceptions and try to live a life away from these harmful substances. The drug abuse program at Visions California aims to make these kids recognize the existence of, and change destructive behaviors in their lives.

Call 866-889-3665 to speak with a Visions professional about substance abuse programs.

Find Day Schools for Troubled Teenagers in Southern CA

Visions Day School program provides a setting conducive for the emotional and cognitive development of troubled teenagers.  

The objectives of the facility include:

• To provide teenagers with a positive, clinically supported education program.
• To enable the adolescent to complete their General Education or to reintegrate into a normal high school environment.

Alternatively, teens can opt to:

• Successfully complete their academic curriculum at the center and graduate with a Visions Day School Certificate
•  Get their college preparation education at the facility
• Complete their honors level work at the institution
• Take up lessons in courses that were missed due to sickness

Mentally challenged teens are better off learning in special environments and that is what Visions education facility promises. These kids need closer attention and thrive most in one-to-one learning sessions. Since they have been struggling with emotions for quite some time, their learning environment should make it easy for them to stay grounded amid their challenges; they must be able to keep perspective in the face of all their troubles.

Balancing the two is never easy. Most mentally challenged teens usually think they are being secluded from the rest of the community which can negatively impact how they approach school and class work. This feeling, if not checked, can increase their depression symptoms such as hopelessness and loneliness.

At Visions Adolescent Day School, priority is given to making the teens understand their problems and see the need to seek a positive lifestyle. If they can realize that mental challenges are not an abnormality, they will develop great confidence and strength to navigate through their challenges.

Some of the features of the programs for troubled youth include:

• It is open to males and females between 13 and 18 years of age
• The program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Curriculum is transferable
• Remedial to honors level programs are offered
• Education is planned at individual level
• 3:1 student to teacher ratio which promises plenty of time for one-on-one sessions
• Counseling is also individualized
• Students are randomly tested for drugs every week
• Continual supervision

The education program is tailored to meet the special needs of students enabling them to move on to higher levels of education.

Please call 866-889-3665 or click below for more information on Visions Adolescent Day School and programs for troubled youth.

Find a Residential Treatment Center for Adolescent Drug Addiction

There are several reasons why a child would start using drugs.  

• Rebellion – wayward children often smoke just to show that they are free from family rules and norms.
• Curiosity – your child has probably seen others smoke. He or she has seen adverts on TV saying that smoking or drinking is bad. Out of curiosity, they may decide to try out the drug.
• Thrill seeking – if these kids already know that certain substances can alter consciousness enabling them to “enjoy” certain activities, they will be tempted to always use such drugs.
• Escape from situations – most kids, especially those who have tried a specific drug to escape from pain or a stressor in the past, will often go back to that drug to induce a relaxed feeling.
• Learning from adults – a number of teens drink or smoke because they see adults, including their parents, guardians or visiting friends, smoking.
• Many kids also abuse drugs out of peer pressure

Teen addiction treatment at Visions Adolescent Residential Treatment facility

Visions Adolescent Residential Treatment center in Malibu, California now offers a drug addiction treatment program that can help your teen realize the harmful effects of abusing drugs and assist them in changing distractive behaviors to become productive people in society.

The objectives of the treatment program include;

• To encourage and motivate teens to achieve and maintain a drug free lifestyle.
• Helping the teens identify situations which may cause people to use drugs to cope with life’s stressors, and making them understand that drug abuse actually doesn’t solve any problem.
• Equipping the adolescents with skills necessary to formulate new, more effective problem solving strategies.
• Introducing residents to the 12-step philosophy and motivating them to participate in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and/or Cocaine Anonymous (CA).
• Helping them recognize the existence of and change destructive behaviors in their lives.

The residential program involves families of residents in the treatment plan to reduce dysfunction within the family. The adolescent are assed and treated for psychological, psychiatric and medical problems. Kids whose needs cannot be met at the facility will be referred for specialized treatment. The teens are also assisted in resolving any legal issues facing them.

Click below to schedule your consultation or call 866-889-3665 to talk to one of our specialists.

Finding a Teen Drug Rehab That Also Offers Accredited Academic Programs

Visions programs generally support education, always working closely with local educational facilities to help teens realize their educational objectives. The Visions Day School program however, is one of a kind.

The Day School provides a setting conducive to cognitive and emotional growth in an environment designed to help students stay focused and keep perspective on the challenges at hand. The learning curriculum used is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is open to adolescents ages 13 to 18 years, both males and females.  The school is therefore ideal for teens who are finding it difficult to function in a mainstream set up due to mental health problems, emotional challenges, or behavioral issues.

Education while receiving treatment for mental, behavioral, or emotional problems helps these teens to find purpose in their lives. They know that others kids of their age go to school, so if they are kept away from school themselves, they immediately realize that something is wrong. They start thinking that they are not part of the society or that they don’t fit in. This is not acceptable.

Visions Day School curriculum is open to all and the program is actually transferable. Education services are planned at individual level and can be pursued from remedial to honors level. The student to staff ratio is three to one guaranteeing unlimited, direct access to teachers. Most of the time students are engaged in one-on-one sessions with the staff. Even counseling is offered at a personal level. The program boasts Masters Level Clinicians as well as Certified Counselors and has continual supervision to ensure total safety.

The learning schedule is quite flexible. Learning starts at 9:00am and continues through to 3:00pm, Monday through Friday, with two short breaks and a lunch break each day. Students also have a one-hour physical education session every Wednesday afternoon.

The teachers and tutors at Visions Day School strive to ensure that students achieve their academic goals. They help struggling students design purposeful individual lesson plans and engage their parents and guardians as well as the school regarding the progress of these teens.

In addition to the highly satisfying education, students have weekly counseling sessions.

Please call 866-889-3665 to talk to a Visions professional, or click below to schedule your consultation for accredited academic programs.

What is Self-Regulation and How Can It Help My Teen?

Self regulation, sometimes called executive function teaches young people to be mindful, thoughtful, and intentional in their behavior. It refers to the capacity to control one’s actions. A self regulated teen can start doing something when it is necessary, even if he or she is unwilling to do it. Self regulation will also enable a teen to stop doing something if needed, even if the teen feels like continuing with it.

Self regulation should not be confused with obedience. A self regulated teen will behave in a similar manner in the presence or absence of an adult. When they choose to stop doing something they shouldn’t do, they are not resisting to impress anyone, but because they fully understand the consequences of their actions.

Self regulation can be applied in social life as well as in cognitive behaviors such as when remembering or paying attention. Interestingly, teens who are able to control their behavior at an early age are more successful in following the teacher’s instruction when they go to school.

Benefits of Self Regulation in Teens

• Development of a strong identity – teens who exhibit high levels of self regulation have an increased probability of developing a strong identity, a factor that is closely associated with well-being. This well-being enables them to develop intimate relationships more easily.
• Performance in class – teens with low self regulation are unlikely to be as successful in their studies compared to their self regulated counterparts. Indeed, teachers report that self regulation ranks higher than entry level reading, math skills, or even IQ when it comes to school readiness.  The two facets of self regulation will both help the teen while at school. Social-emotional self-regulation ensures that kids are comfortable with rules and thrive in various social contexts such as one-to-one sessions and group learning. The cognitive aspect of self regulation allows them to use and further develop the cognitive skills necessary for problem solving.

Summary

Self regulation is best developed from an early age though it has to be continually nurtured into early adulthood.

Click below for more information on self regulation.

How To Help Your Teen’s Feelings of Being Overwhelmed

Stress and anxiety are a normal experience for most human beings as we are constantly under one form of pressure or the other. Much like in anything else that is cognitive, the intensity and how one reacts to the feelings of anxiety and stress vary from individual to individual. Contrary to the popular belief that adults have a monopoly over stress, children and teens do get depressed too. 

On top of the physical changes taking place in a teen’s body, they also have to deal with schoolwork and issues at home. The most common stressors among teenagers are school and academic performance, problems at home such as an abusive environment or divorce, and body image issues.

Signs that a teen is getting overwhelmed by anxiety and stress include insomnia, change in eating habits, increased irritability, anger management issues and lashing out, loss of interest in a lot of things, and lethargy. In extreme cases, it can result in depression, panic attacks, hopelessness, substance abuse, and various disorders such as eating disorders.

It is therefore important for a parent to ensure that they help their child get through the stress and anxiety in their lives. Communication is the most important factor in helping a teen deal with feelings of being overwhelmed. It is important to let your child know you are there for them no matter what, even when they are moody, rebellious, and pushing you away. Being able to communicate well with your child is important in order to know how they are really doing and to help keep them moving in a healthy direction.

Teaching a teen who is feeling overwhelmed healthy coping mechanisms is another way to help them. Hobbies and activities such as arts and sports help in relaxing the mind and body as well as ensuring teens are constructively engaged. Lack of healthy coping mechanisms results in teenagers trying to deal with the emotions they are experiencing negatively. They are thus more likely to engage in things such as substance abuse and self-harm or attempted suicide.

One should also consider seeking professional help for a teen who is feeling overwhelmed. Treatment centers like Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers help teens to identify what is causing their anxiety and how to deal with it in a constructive manner.

Click below or call one of our specialists for more information.

Why Healthy Relationships Are Crucial For Teen Addiction Recovery

Teens in this day and age are afflicted by many addictions, some of which did not affect past generations, such as addiction to the Internet. Given that the number of teens with addictions ranging from drug abuse to Internet and pornography addiction is on the rise, it becomes crucial to understand what a parent can do to prevent this from happening to their child.  

Overcoming addictions requires that the recovering teen severs some of their old relationships as well as making new ones. Unhealthy relationships that could lead to a relapse often need to end. Healthy relationships that are in line with kicking and keeping away from an addition should be cultivated to ensure the continued success of a teen addiction recovery program.

Unhealthy relationships with other kids who share the addiction, co-dependent relationships, and enabling relationships should be ended immediately. One should seek out healthy relationships when undergoing teen addiction recovery. It is best to seek relationships that encourage one in their effort to overcome addiction such as mutual support groups, having mentors and coaches in various aspects of one’s life, making new friends with whom one shares a constructive hobby or interest, and also with family members.

Some of the most important and healthy relationships for someone undergoing teen addiction recovery are with a sponsor and other people trying to kick the addiction. Addiction recovery is made much easier when one has the support and advice of someone who has successfully kicked the habit.

Mutual support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are also very important after one has undergone teen addiction recovery. It is easier for one to open up to others with whom they share the same experience. Mutual support groups provide an environment that is supportive, honest, and in which those determined to kick an addiction can share freely without being judged. It also provides a great place for one to determine their progress and receive support in a bid to stay clean through encouragement, accountability, information, and comradeship to name but a few.

Although romantic relationships are not unhealthy, they can be when one is fresh out of a teen recovery program. It is therefore best to avoid starting a new relationship until the teen is in better control of their addiction and life.

Click below or call one of our specialists today at 866-889-3665.

What is Recovery and Is It Different For Teens

Statistics show that one in three pupils in a classroom suffer from mental illness. The good news though is that between 70% and 90% of individuals who get treated for the condition go on to show signs of reduction in symptoms and are able to enjoy a higher quality of life.

There are two categories of recovery; clinical and personal. Clinical recovery is being able to live free of symptoms. Personal recovery is being able to live a high quality of life within the limits of the illness. When people talk about recovery, unless its medical professionals, they are usually referring to second meaning.

Recovery can therefore be defined as developing a new meaning for and perspective on life which enables one to grow beyond the effects of mental illness.

Is Recovery Different in Teens?

The greatest challenge faced by mentally ill teens is the fact that their illnesses often have to be found-out by their parents.

If an adult is mentally ill, they are more likely to know about it early. They are old enough to tell if things are not going well. Few ever reach the stage of inflicting self injury. By that time they would have felt that something was wrong and would have talke about it with someone.

On the other hand, teens are still developing and may not be as self-aware. They may not have heard about mental illness. To them, anxiety, frustration, and depression, among other signs of mental illness, are never a cause for worry until someone (often their parents, guardians, or teachers) points it out. This sometimes allows more time to pass than is ideal before they start on treatment.

Kids, especially adolescents, are typically also very emotional. If a teen with a mental illness discovers that people are behaving differently towards them, they will quickly attribute that to their mental condition. Recovery demands a lot of willingness and ability from a mentally ill teen. Support from others actually comes second. Since adolescents go through a lot of physical, mental, and biological changes during that stage of life, they often find that they have too much weight on their shoulders which could hinder their recovery.

The recovery period may also require that the affected teen make some new friends and acquaintances if they associate with anyone who is usually cruel to them.  Being bullied often increases their worries making recovery even more difficult.

Call 866-889-3665 to speak to a professional at Visions.

Teen Suicide Prevention in California

All over the world, the number of teens attempting suicide is increasing. This raises a major concern for all parents as there is simply nothing that can prepare them sufficiently to deal with a suicidal teen. A suicide attempt shows that there is a dire problem that should be dealt with immediately. A suicide attempt should be a very serious concern for any parent, and professional help should be sought immediately from reputable centers such as Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers for teen suicide prevention.  

For a parent interested in teen suicidal prevention in California, Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers offer comprehensive programs meant to ensure that the underlying issue causing suicidal tendencies in a teen are dealt with.

The good news is that teens display various warning signs before attempting suicide that can help a parent determine early on if their child is thinking of suicide and curb the unhealthy thought before they act on it. Various factors affecting a teenager should also be taken into account to determine if they are at risk when it comes to committing suicide..

Factors attributed to teen suicide attempts include being in abusive relationships, the sudden loss of someone either through death or by other means such as divorce, mental illness, substance abuse, and great emotional distress. However, this does not mean that every teen going through such situations is suicidal. These are simply some warning signs that a parent should take very seriously as they indicate that a teen could be suicidal, or at least thinking about suicide.

An unhealthy preoccupation with death and talking about suicide should be taken seriously. When a teen constantly talks about, writes about, or in some way seems to be preoccupied with death and dying, it is a sign that death is becoming more of a fascination than is healthy. Statements and phrases that hint at suicide should also be of concern to a parent, even if said jokingly or in a moment of anger.

If a parent notices signs that a child is involved in self-harm, has low self-esteem, suffering from hopelessness, depression, self-hatred, or deep emotional distress, they should be concerned.

Whatever the situation, a teen suicide attempt points to serious psychological issues in the teen whatever their situation. Professional help should be sought immediately to help with teen suicide prevention.

Click below to schedule an appointment or call us at 866-889-3665