Depression is a painful aspect of mental illness, one that happens to be the most common in the United States. Depression can affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, and physical well-being. When seeking help for this disorder, some people opt for inpatient treatment. Let’s explore the way inpatient treatment takes place and the different things for which to be prepared.
Overview
Every locality has different durations and protocols that they follow. For example, Inpatient treatment in Austin for depression usually lasts for four to six weeks. The length of treatment could lengthen or shorten, depending on how dire the symptoms are and how long it has been since they first presented. There are a variety of treatments for depression, including psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. These treatments can help people with depression feel better and get back to their normal lives. They can also teach them important coping mechanisms for their daily lives, should their depression become heavier.
First Steps
Taking your child to an inpatient treatment facility might seem daunting. But, compared to the quality of life that could be possible for your loved one after getting treatment, the bravery of allowing your child access to mental health care is a necessary one. As you become involved in your child’s treatment, the chances of that treatment being successful are greatly enhanced. Most inpatient stays for children involve a psychotherapy first approach. Before any pharmacotherapeutic measures are taken, that is, before your child receives any kind of medication, it is the priority of mental health professionals to ensure that they have used the psychotherapeutic tools available to them. If your child’s symptoms worsen or reveal themselves to be more severe than previously expected, then the mental health professionals can provide guidance on the way forward.
Therapeutic Tools
The therapeutic tools used in an inpatient treatment program are targeted toward making sure your child leaves with a greater understanding of themselves, their mental condition, and the steps they can take throughout to ensure they continue in health. Throughout the teen years, your child is faced with a myriad of challenging situations that may negatively affect their mental health. The depression of children can be linked to events concerning teenage/childhood life or it may be biologically motivated. It could also be a combination of both. In this way, the therapeutic tools necessary for treatment could be related to positively addressing life’s problems or they could carry a more medical focus.
As far as therapy goes, there is a wide range of therapy types to support your child through this season of their lives. These include, but are not limited to, the most commonly known cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive analytic therapy (CAT), mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy (IPT) compassion focused therapy (CFT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), person-centered therapy (PCT), and, to a lesser degree, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).
With such a variety of treatments available to you, enhancing the mental health care your child receives can be less confusing. Ensuring you have a grasp of how long an inpatient stay can last will help you communicate and encourage your child, whether they seem enthusiastic about the idea at first. A fine grasp of the details also assures you. Understanding the aspects of the different treatments, what these treatments are targeted towards, and how you as a parent or caregiver can provide support at home will allow your child to overcome their struggles and begin to work towards a healthy, happy and fulfilling life.
