Parents often wonder, “Am I overreacting or moving too quickly in considering a residential treatment program for troubled teens?”
This is a common question. Teenagers and young adults in Canada today are facing an ever-escalating mental health crisis. More than any generation before them, they are reporting high rates of stress, anxiety and depression and this often leads to co-occurring conditions like substance use disorders, electronics addiction and other issues that impact a teenager’s health, safety and well-being.
Residential treatment programs can provide the treatment and support teenagers need, while addressing the root cause of their challenges.
Trust Your Parental Instincts
It’s important for parents to trust their natural instincts and not worry about overreacting when it comes to helping their teenager. You know your child better than anyone, and if you’ve come looking for help, it suggests you recognize that your child is struggling and could be headed down a bad path. The consequences of your teen’s current behaviour may be life-limiting at a minimum, or dangerous at worst. When you recognize that your child needs more help than you can give or a different kind of help than they have been receiving, it’s not a matter of, “Am I overreacting,” it’s a matter of accessing the help they – and you – need.
Not every road is the same when it comes to seeking treatment for a teenager in distress. Sometimes it’s a buildup of small issues, other times it could be a series of serious occurrences like substance abuse, hospitalization, run-ins with police or another traumatic event that leads a parent to seek help. If you think your child needs help, they probably do – and our team is here to help.
It is certainly not overreacting to get a full and proper assessment, so you know how to best address it. Often we do not know how to help our children because we don’t know what is at the root of the problem. How often do you ask yourself, “Where is this behaviour coming from,” or, “Why is my child acting this way?” Our Intervention & Assessment program equips parents with the information they need to make informed and thoughtful decisions about the help their child needs in order to improve their mental health and well-being.
Can My Teenager Benefit from Residential Treatment?
We hear very often from parents that community-based counselling or therapy is not working. It may be that the child refuses to attend. The child may refuse to participate, or may tell the therapist what they want to hear. This is a good indication that the child will benefit from residential treatment.
Lack of success in therapy occurs because teens are not ready or willing to change. Residential treatment can help youth engage in therapy in a more positive and productive way where they are accepting of help, recognize and accept their own personal responsibility for their actions and are ready to do the “work” necessary in therapy.
Reach Out to Venture Academy
Along with the joys and hard work of parenting comes the responsibility to make difficult decisions – decisions you know are in the best interest of your child and family. Specifically, the decision about what kind of help to get is one of those important and difficult decisions.
To answer the question, “Am I overreacting,” it’s important to take a step back and reach out for help. At Venture Academy, we understand and are here to help you. We will listen, empathize and help you sort things out. We will be honest in our assessment of your child’s needs and readiness for both assessment and treatment at Venture Academy. Contact us today at 866.762.2211.
