Depression is difficult to manage for an adult who has life skills to rely on as well as prescribed medication. So, it only makes sense that your son may need more than just his depression medication to help him overcome his depression. If your son has been struggling with his depression, instead of having his medication levels raised, a residential treatment center for teens may be just the thing he needs.
How A Residential Treatment Center Can Help Depressed Teens
While depression medication can help teenage boys as they learn to manage their feelings of depression, it should be seen as a tool, rather than the whole solution. Here at Liahona Treatment Center, we focus our residential treatment on providing troubled teen boys with a whole variety of tools to help them overcome their personal struggles.
New environment offers a clean slate
Changing environments can be helpful for depressed teens. Rather than remain in the environment which may be a trigger for their depression, teens can enjoy the “clean slate” feeling that comes with being somewhere completely new. Also, Liahona’s residential treatment center is located close to nature, which is unusual for many of the teens who attend our program, as many come from crowded urban or suburban areas. This refreshing change of scenery can help troubled teens feel more removed from the things they were struggling with in the first place.
Provides a supportive infrastructure
Staffing a residential treatment is a number of professionals who can provide a supportive infrastructure for teens who have been struggling with mental and emotional issues such as depression. Some of the key program infrastructure parts are:
- Structured daily program and activities - With our structured daily routine, boys can develop a sense of security and order. This stability can help depressed teens weather the emotional storms that can occur. Also, with regular activities, from daily team sports and other active projects, teens can stay busy with less time to slip into depressed contemplations.
- Multiple types of therapy - Medication alone is not enough to reach the root issue of depression. That’s why residential treatment centers always have licensed therapists on staff who work one-on-one with the teen in residence. There is also group therapy sessions daily, to help the boys not only see that others have similar struggles, but it can also provide a valuable source of peer support that can be invaluable to a depressed teen. Also, depending on the needs of your son, therapists will provide different therapeutic strategies.
- Engaging educational classes - Often, academics can take a hit when a teen suffers from depression. While attending residential treatment, your son can redo classes and raise his grades, thanks to the accredited educational programs residential treatment centers provide. That way, teens can either rejoin their peers at the right grade level or even graduate with a high school diploma from Liahona Treatment Center.
Helps teen boys develop healthy coping skills
The lack of positive coping skills can lead to many difficulties for your depressed son. Some severely depressed teenage boys without healthy coping skills turn to substance abuse or lash out at others. Rather than encourage these negative emotional outlets, your son can learn a variety of healthy coping skills. These positive outlets can range from exercising to release emotions to journaling so your son can better process what he is feeling.
Other Natural Ways To Treat Depression In Your Son
Taking the step to send your depressed teenage son to a residential treatment center can be tough. We often encourage parents and guardians to try to access all of their other local resources, as a residential treatment center can be a significant commitment for both the teenage boy and caregivers. So, instead of adding more depression medication and before you send your son to our residential treatment center, you may want to try these natural ways to overcome depression.
- Encourage regular exercise - Not only is regular exercise a great outlet for emotional stress but by engaging in regular exercise, your son can enjoy a steady dose of endorphins. These natural, positive hormones can help your depressed son feel better without extra meds.
- Help him set goals - Part of the trick depression plays on people is the belief that nothing will change and they will always be trapped in a terrible, dark place. By having your troubled son set goals and actively work toward them, you can help him break through this inaccurate narrative.
- Develop a structured routine - Much like how our routine can help, if your son has a structured routine to rely on, he may struggle less with directionless depression. School provides a certain amount of structure, and when he is not at school, you may want to consider enrolling him in a new activity to help him stay engaged.
- Provide healthy meals - A healthy diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, is ideal when it comes to supporting someone with depression. While your son may try to subsist off of junk food, do your best to provide him with healthy meals and snacks that can naturally support his mental, emotional, and physical needs.
- Have your son volunteer - Actively giving back and serving others can be an excellent cure for your son’s depression, especially if he needs to see that others have it worse than he does.
- Rule out medical issues - Sometimes, there can be medical issues which can trigger depression, such as chronic pain or sleep apnea. To ensure these aren’t the source of your son’s depression, bring him to your primary care physician for a full physical exam.
- Advocate for regular sleep - People of all ages need regular sleep schedules to support their emotional, physical, and mental health. Helping your son stick to a regular sleep schedule that provides him with 9 hours of sleep, as that is the recommended amount of rest for teenagers.
Liahona Treatment Center Can Help Your Depressed Teen Son
If you would like to learn more about Liahona Treatment Center and see if your son is a good fit for our program, contact us today. Our program advisors will be happy to answer all your questions and help you decide if your depressed teenage son can benefit from our program.
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