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What Is Milieu Therapy and How Can it Help Your Troubled Teenager?

What Is Milieu Therapy and How Can it Help Your Troubled Teenager? 1920 1275 Admin_SE

Milieu Therapy is a method of healing that provides a structured and supportive group setting in which people interact with others. They learn and practice how to communicate and behave appropriately in society. “Milieu” means “environment” in French. Milieu Therapy, therefore, refers to the social environment a student is in.

A facilitator steers the group by modeling desired behavior when needed, but peer interaction and respect are key. The hope is that patients will leave the program feeling confident they can handle the stress of living and working with all types of people.

Personal responsibility is another important part of Milieu Therapy. With support from a therapist, participants determine their own goals for what they want to achieve through the therapy.

If your teenager is seriously struggling with peer interaction, respect, or responsibility, then Milieu Therapy may be beneficial to them. At Solstice East, in North Carolina, we use this therapy to help teenagers of all backgrounds from all places to create the life they want.

Milieu Therapy

Milieu Therapy

Who Can Benefit from a Therapeutic Milieu Program?

Anyone with a disorder, including your teenager, can benefit from Milieu Therapy. Milieu Therapy is used to treat disorders which require a change in thinking and interacting. Patients are held responsible for the choices they make but are taught how to make better choices in the future.

The treatment takes place in a group environment to better simulate authentic interaction. However, the environment is structured so participants can feel safe and secure when trying out new ways of coping with stressful situations. This is an excellent way for teens to learn new skills.

Anger management classes often use Milieu Therapy. Participants are free to discuss their feelings of rage with others who understand, and without being judged. They learn to recognize when the anger starts to build and what to do to keep it within healthy boundaries. They practice coping mechanisms in the group.

Addiction rehabilitation treatment uses Milieu Therapy to help patients learn to recognize the types of people, places, and situations that trigger their desire for drugs, alcohol, or whatever they are addicted to. They can learn from the therapist and from peers in the group how to avoid those people, places, and situations and how to cope or what better thoughts to think if they don’t have the option to avoid them. They can also be taught behaviors to practice to replace the unhealthy habits.

Eating disorders and depression often respond well to Milieu Therapy.

Doctors have even had some success treating some schizophrenia symptoms with this method, although much more research needs to be done if it is to become a recommended treatment.

If you are looking to place your teen in a residential treatment center, Solstice East practices the most up-to-date therapies. Milieu Therapy is one of them.  We are always eager to help teens who are experiencing difficulties in life or who may be making unhealthy choices.

Where Does Milieu Therapy Take Place?

There are a variety of environments that have been successfully used for Milieu Therapy. The key to making it work is that the surroundings provide structure, safety, encouragement, respect, and a suitable patient/facilitator ratio.

Treatment location types include:

  • Residential treatment facility
  • Hospital or section (ward) of a hospital
  • Outpatient treatment facility
  • Halfway house
  • Therapist’s office
  • Community meetings

Community based settings are becoming more popular and many are led by a trained facilitator rather than a psychiatrist or psychologist. Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous are examples of community-led meetings where Milieu Therapy is practiced.

Inpatient or residential treatment facilities may have predetermined lengths of treatment, depending on their policies. For example, a hospital ward might have a time limit that a patient can stay before being required to move to a rehabilitation center, halfway house, or other community setting.  Our treatment center at Solstice East, in North Carolina, is located in a beautiful setting, on the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and we are eager to help your teen if you are seeking assistance.

Milieu Therapy for Teens

Milieu Therapy for Teens

Which Milieu Setting is Best?

Again, Milieu Therapy is a type of treatment which aims to help participants understand how to cope with the ups and downs of living in society. Although always held in a group setting, the therapeutic practice of Milieu Therapy can easily be practiced in just about any variety of settings.

The group practicing Milieu has a facilitator (sometimes more than one) who provides guidance and structure. The environment fosters feelings of safety, trust, and respect between staff and patients, as well as between group members. Participants learn appropriate behaviors for functioning successfully in society. Personal responsibility is required leading patients to gain confidence and self-reliance.

Please consider Solstice East as the perfect treatment center for your teen to experience the therapy they need.  We have an abundance of highly trained, licensed professionals that are eager to help you, your family, and especially your teen through whatever struggles they may be going through.

Milieu Therapy NC

Milieu Therapy NC

drama triangle
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Improving Poor Boundaries Within the Family Dynamic

Improving Poor Boundaries Within the Family Dynamic 1220 1002 se_admin

Many families struggle with setting healthy boundaries with each other. Often, parents have different styles of parenting, which can sometimes balance each other out, but often feels inconsistent for the child. As children reach adolescence, they are more likely to push boundaries with their parents and try to create their own rules to live by. This can lead to parents trying to set stricter rules and expectations. However, teens are more likely to react by claiming that the rules are unfair to make their parents feel guilty. Without healthy boundaries and respecting other people’s autonomy, this can become a destructive family dynamic that turns into a cycle.  

What is the Drama Triangle?

The drama triangle is a common model of human interaction based on getting needs met within relationships. Dr. Stephen Karpman came up with multiple drama triangle variations to describe how people relate to each other in different situations. Within the compassion drama triangle, patterns for getting those needs met include poor boundaries and unhealthy interactions. People are typically trying to gain a sense of control in their lives by pulling others into the drama. In this model, roles are considered interchangeable rather than a part of someone’s personality, which allows room for change. It is not uncommon for the drama triangle to become a pattern within families where one or more members of the family have experienced, depression, anxiety, trauma, or addiction problems. 

drama triangle

Who is the Victim?

  • Denies responsibility for their negative circumstances
  • Feels powerless to change circumstances
  • Sensitive to criticism 
  • Often will look for a rescuer, a savior, to save them (and if someone refuses or fails to do that, can quickly perceive them now as a persecutor.)
  • Experiences difficulties making decisions, solving problems, finding much pleasure in life, or understanding their self-perpetuating behaviors.

Who is the Persecutor?

  • Blame the victim for not taking responsibility and criticize the enabling behavior of rescuers, without providing guidance, assistance or a solution to the underlying problem
  • Can be controlling and rigid in expectations
  • Fear of being seen as a victim themselves
  • Struggle with flexible thinking and taking other people’s perspectives

Who is the Rescuer?

  • Tries to fix other people’s problems, while neglecting their own needs 
  • Often need to help other people to feel good about themselves
  • Co-dependent on other people’s problems, which enables their unhealthy behavior to continue
  • Frequently overworked and tired and may resent others for “making them feel this way”

The Importance of Improving Boundaries 

It is important to recognize that there is not one specific role in the “Drama Triangle” that disrupts a healthy family dynamic. Instead, these roles work together to reinforce each other. As a result, if one person begins to work on improving their boundaries, other people will shift their behavior in response. 

  • Consider what you can tolerate and accept and name your limits. Tune into your feelings to gauge whether you are feeling comfortable in a situation.
  • Don’t expect other people to intuitively pick up on your boundaries. Be direct about what you need from others.
  • Give yourself permission to set boundaries with others without feeling guilty. Say no to things that are beyond your capacity in that moment.
  • Prioritize self-care. As a parent, it is easy to believe that your child’s needs should always come first. However, neglecting your personal needs makes it harder to effectively help others when you need to. 
  • If you’re having trouble setting boundaries, seek outside support. Often, people become fixed in roles without realizing it and have a hard time breaking patterns they’ve maintained for a long time. Family therapy can help all family members look at how their patterns have developed and what they want to change. 

Solstice East Can Help 

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for young women ages 14-18 struggling with behavior and emotional issues such as those that can stem from peer-relationship struggles. This program focuses on helping young women heal, recover, and integrate healthy habits into their lives. Students will learn to build healthy relationships, cope with emotions, and effectively communicate. Solstice East gives young women the skills and confidence they need to lead happy and healthy lives. We can help your family today!

Contact us at  828-484-9946 to learn more about our family therapy programming. 

teen self harm
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Why Are Gen Z Teenagers More Likely to Self Harm?

Why Are Gen Z Teenagers More Likely to Self Harm? 4512 3012 se_admin

Although there may just be more visibility on the Internet, self-harm in Gen Z is on the rise. Time Magazine attributes the increase in self-harm among today’s teenagers to the intensified teen angst that is spread through social media. Teen angst refers to a general feeling of anxiety and frustration that often refers to the state of the world. They’ve grown up in a world of insecurity and pressure for high achievement and have adapted to these stressors by normalizing it online through connections with others struggling with the same outlook on their future. 

Janis Whitlock, director of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery, explains, “If you wanted to create an environment to churn out really angsty people, we’ve done it. School stress and family conflict are small factors compared to the cauldron of stimulus they can’t get away from, or don’t want to get away from, or don’t know how to get away from.” 

Characteristics of Gen Z

Generation Z refers to teenagers born between 1995 and 2005 who have grown up along with technology but haven’t known life without it. Ever since the oldest of this generation entered high school, rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide have been increased significantly after several years of stability, and even a steady decline. Whether it is due to decreased mental health stigma or increased prevalence, between 20-30% of teenagers suffer from mental health issues. This is roughly the same rate as adults, if not higher, considering normal teenage moodiness and angst. Regardless of whether they’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, Generation Z is considered more fragile and less resilient than previous generations. 

Some defining characteristics of Gen Z that can be concerning include:

  • Overwhelmed more easily
  • Higher expectations to succeed
  • Exposure to violence in the media
  • More concerned with appearance and popularity on social media platforms
  • More protective parents
  • More averse to taking risks
  • Delayed transition into adult roles and milestones, such as driving, dating, working, and living independently

How did this happen?

Time explains, ‘They are the post-9/11 generation, raised in an era of economic and national insecurity. They’ve never known a time when terrorism and school shootings weren’t the norm. They grew up watching their parents weather a severe recession, and, perhaps most important, they hit puberty at a time when technology and social media were transforming society.” They are the first generation that feels like they don’t have an option to unplug and escape from their problems as they rely on the Internet to maintain relationships and stay updated on news. The constant pressure they feel to keep up appearances and stay connected can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Therefore, more teens are turning to other strategies to cope with this desire to escape. 

Teens Turning to Self Harm

While not everyone who struggles with depression self-harms, they are more at risk. It is hard to detect signs of teen self-harm as it can easily be hidden; however, Seattle Children’s Hospital reports that teens may be more open about it online than in person, tracking millions of results for self-harm related hashtags a year, excluding tags that are censored by apps like Instagram. They also concluded that based on their patient records, 60% of the teens who were admitted for self-harm related issues were female, which they attribute to girls’ focus on body image. Although it sounds contradictory for body image issues to lead to self-destructive behaviors, for some, it is a reflection of how they feel about themselves. For others, it is a rebellion against conventional standards of beauty. 

It is important to consider a variety of social, emotional, and environmental factors that may contribute to the rise of teen self-harm to deal with underlying issues of self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Single-gender treatment centers are safe and supportive communities where girls can process these underlying issues with other girls struggling with similar issues.

Solstice East Can Help

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for young women ages 14-18 struggling with behavior and emotional issues, such as depression, anxiety, and self-harm. This program focuses on helping young women heal, recover, and integrate healthy habits into their lives. Students will learn to build healthy relationships, cope with emotions, and effectively communicate. Solstice East gives young women the skills and confidence they need to lead happy and healthy lives. Contact us at (855) 672-7058. We can help your family today!

healthy teen relationships
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6 Tips for Talking With Your Teen About Healthy Relationships

6 Tips for Talking With Your Teen About Healthy Relationships 3264 2448 se_admin

If given the choice between talking to their kids about dating and relationships and walking through a cave of bees with a honeypot in hand, many parents would choose the latter—and in a heartbeat!

The sad fact of the matter, however, is that the conversation that nobody wishes to have with their teen is a vital and necessary one. This is because females between the ages of 16-24 experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence, and 1 in 5 high school girls is physically or sexually harmed by a dating partner. Furthermore, 1 in 3 teen-agers of both genders experience some variety of abuse in their romantic relationships.

And perhaps not coincidentally, a quarter of teen dating violence survivors feel isolated from family and friends.

Helping Your Teen Develop Healthy Relationships

You as a parent can play a vital role in protecting your teens from the perils of unhealthy and even violent relationships. So with that in mind, here are 6 tips for talking with your teen about healthy relationships.

  1. Be open. Let them know that they can ask or talk to you about anything. In this way, they won’t feel as awkward or self-conscious about coming to you about personal (read: dating) relationships.
  2. Build their self-esteem. Praise and compliment your teen often, giving them a strong sense of confidence and self-worth. A confident and self-assured teen will be less likely to accept bad treatment from a dating partner.
  3. Encourage them to set boundaries. Let them know that they always have the right to say no to any dating or relationship experience; regardless as to whether or not their dating partner has paid for dinner, asked them to go steady, etc.
  4. Set your own boundaries. Establish curfews for your teens, asking them to contact you if they will be late for any reason or if they need a ride home. Also establish any rules that you would like regarding the ages and personality types of their dates.
  5. Ask your kids to meet their dates. You as an adult may be able to form and offer an informed opinion; looking past whatever cool clothes and rockin’ car said date might possess.
  6. Don’t be afraid to tackle the tough issues. Your teen might at various points need to talk to you about topics that might include sex, date rape, teen pregnancy, birth control and STD prevention, and same sex dating. OK, now fish out your smelling salts and sit upright; your baby isn’t a baby anymore, and they need your help to affect a smooth and safe transition into adulthood.

Solstice East can help

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls ages 14-17. Located outside of Asheville, North Carolina, this mental health facility empowers clients with age- and gender-specific therapies. For more information, call (855) 672-7058 or visit https://solsticeeast.com/.

teens dealing with loss - Solstice East
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Evidence Shows Yoga Could Aid in the Treatment for Stress & Anxiety

Evidence Shows Yoga Could Aid in the Treatment for Stress & Anxiety 640 427 se_admin

When you think about treatment for stress and anxiety, it usually includes various clinical practices and medications, but there are simple tactics that have shown great promise, as well–such as yoga.

This is typically when you start shaking your head and thinking, “Yoga can’t possibly be an effective treatment for stress.” While yoga may not be able to cure anxiety by itself, when paired with other therapies it can add to the overall effectiveness of the process in treatment for stress and anxiety disorders.

Studies show yoga combats stress  

Yoga, meditation, and other practices have been increasing in popularity as exercise for some time now–but now they may be offering more than just physical benefits. Recent studies have found that mind-body interventions (MBIs)–like yoga–are able to combat changes that lead to stress.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. It focused on trying to figure out how the underlying mechanisms that make yoga so relaxing work–because if we understand those, it may be easier to replicate and allow us to provide better treatment for stress and anxiety.

The researchers found that individuals who frequently use MBIs produce less of a molecule linked to regulating gene expression. When you go through something stressful, the nervous system responds, creating the “fight-or-flight” reaction, which spurs on the production of this molecule which then leads to cellular inflammation–which is connected to issues like depression and anxiety.

The study’s leader, Ivana Buric, explained why this matters:

“Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don’t realize is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business.”

AKA, it can improve your body’s responses to stress and how it processes it. Those who need treatment for stress and anxiety struggle with exactly that issue. They battle to stay in control of their emotions during moments when their stress is high–and their emotions often end up controlling them instead, leading to things like panic attacks.

Yoga isn’t a cure-all. It’s a practice that can be used to keep issues in check alongside other forms of treatment for stress. If you believe your daughter is struggling, it’s critical to seek out a professional for further guidance.

Solstice East is here for your family

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18. We understand the specific needs of girls, which is why our program is centered solely on them. Our students often grapple with depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, and other emotional or behavioral problems when they come to us.

We have a strong emphasis on family therapy, nutrition, physical fitness. We also offer a supportive staff, cutting-edge academics, addiction therapy, equine therapy, and psychiatric services. At Solstice, we help set the stage for the infusion of light into the previously darkened lives of the families we serve.

For more information about treatment for stress at Solstice East, please contact us at 828-484-9946.

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EMDR Therapy Helps Teens Cope with Traumatic Events

EMDR Therapy Helps Teens Cope with Traumatic Events 150 150 se_admin

Many teenagers experience trauma, it’s just a fact of life. Whether it’s a natural disaster, accident, or abuse, many teens go through it and need treatment afterwards. While there are many treatments available, one in particular is beginning to show more and more positive results: EMDR therapy.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy started being used in the 1980s and has been gaining traction ever since. It has been shown to be extremely effective in helping teenagers work through and cope with traumatic events.

EMDR therapy sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel

So, what is EMDR therapy you ask? EMDR therapy is a method of working through and accepting adverse memories. You do it by moving your eyes right to left over and over and over again.

I know what you’re thinking, it sounds like something out of a science fiction book, right? There can’t be a way to help trauma victims that is as easy as moving your eyes back and forth many, many times. Well, it exists–and it works.

In the average session, an individual is told to focus on their traumatic event, whether it was a natural disaster, the loss of a loved one, or going through abuse. Then they begin the eye movement. It’s theorized that this works because of a link to the stage of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement (REM).

During this stage, with our eyes closed, our eyes move back and forth. Our brain activates and begins to go through new information, repeating important facts and moments, learning, and processing what happened throughout the day. It’s an essential part of functioning.

The theory is that moving our eyes back and forth while awake activates this ability to “process.” By focusing on a negative experience and moving your eyes, you’re helping your brain process what happened, allowing for a more objective view on it. Instead of an unprocessable, distressing memory, it becomes a more “normal” memory–one that doesn’t immediately elicit an extremely emotional response when thought of.

Currently, EMDR therapy is used to treat trauma quite often. It’s used alongside other therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, in order to strengthen effectiveness.

Solstice East could help your daughter

If you believe your daughter is struggling with processing trauma or has a mental health issue, it’s critical to seek out a professional for further guidance on how to best help her thrive.

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18. Our girls often grapple with depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, bullying, and other emotional or behavioral problems when they come to us. We strive to help students develop healthy habits and lead themselves back onto a path of success and happiness through meaningful therapy and a nurturing environment.

For more information about how we use EMDR therapy at Solstice East, please contact us at 828-484-9946.

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Three Reasons Why Residential Treatment Centers for Girls Work 

Three Reasons Why Residential Treatment Centers for Girls Work  150 150 se_admin

Finding the best solution for your daughter’s emotional or behavioral struggles can be a long and harrowing journey. Sometimes healing is best done out of the home environment – that’s where residential treatment centers for girls come in.

Why Residential Treatment Centers for Girls Work

1. Family Inclusion & Interaction with Your Daughter

At most residential treatment centers for girls, family is a huge part of a youth’s success. Many programs incorporate weekly calls, scheduled visits, and/or written communication to ensure that families are an active part of each child’s therapeutic experience. Communication between parents and their child is important for a child’s overall growth in the program. A program that doesn’t include the family dynamic into their design, will most likely not help your daughter reach her full potential. It is much harder for a child to succeed without the love and support of their family, therefore making it imperative that the whole family is included in the process of treatment.

2. Different Types of Therapy Being Used

If you’re looking into residential treatment centers for girls, traditional therapy has probably not been a successful solution or right fit for your child. One of the reasons residential treatment centers for girls work, is because they offer different types of therapy (CBT, Equine, Group, Family, etc.) in order to make sure each individual is successfully engaged in therapy.

They understand that every therapy doesn’t work as effectively for each individual and it’s their job to find the best fit for each student. By providing multiple forms of therapy, each individuals treatment can be tailored to offer her the best path towards future success.

3. Quality Academics

Residential treatment centers for girls work because they incorporate experienced, certified teachers employed to give students a great academic experience. Most programs make it a priority to prepare students to transition back into traditional school settings in a smooth, efficient way. Some centers provide academic programs that allow students to graduate with all the credentials they need to transition and succeed in the real world.

Solstice East can help

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18, grappling with teen depression, anxiety, trauma, and other emotional or behavioral issues. We strive to help our girls lead themselves back onto a path of health and happiness.

For more information about how Solstice East, please call 828-484-9946!

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The Importance of the Milieu at a Residential Treatment Center for Girls

The Importance of the Milieu at a Residential Treatment Center for Girls 150 150 se_admin

“Milieu”: For any parent searching for help for their struggling teen at a residential treatment center, this is a word you may come across often. Milieu refers to an individual’s social culture or environment. The milieu of a residential treatment center provides an opportunity for social growth and improvement. At Solstice East, a residential treatment center for teen girls, the milieu is an important aspect of each students’ therapeutic process.

Why is the milieu important?

At Solstice East, milieu therapy helps create positive transformative experiences for students. In an environment where everyone in the community is invested in creating lasting change, struggling girls can find the support they need to make positive decisions. The community atmosphere at Solstice East includes everyone on campus – from students to staff. Here are some other ways Solstice East uses the milieu on campus to help girls find success:

  1. Community roles: Each member of the Solstice East community is assigned a designated role. These roles help contribute to carrying out daily tasks within the program. Roles range from assisting in the kitchen to creating a laundry schedule on campus. The community roles within the milieu help teaches teens responsibility, gives them a valued role within the community, and boosts feelings of self-confidence.
  2. Building relationship and social skills: At Solstice East, many of our students build trusting friendships. The community environment at Solstice East provides a unique opportunity for teens struggling to make and keep friends. Through the guidance of designated mentors and therapeutic staff, strong relationships are formed with peers and relationships with family members are rebuilt.
  3. Home-like setting of campus: The small, comfortable setting of campus allows for a close knit community feel. As a residential treatment center devoted to helping girls find and achieve success, the small size of our campus allows for the personalized treatment your teen needs to heal.
  4. Collaborative team: Our residential and therapeutic staff work together to create the most nurturing, healing environment possible for students within the milieu.

Solstice East can help your child

Solstice East, a residential treatment center for teen girls ages 14-18, can help your struggling  daughter achieve lasting success.
For more information about Solstice East, please call (855) 672-7058.

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Being a ‘Book Nerd’ Is Good for Teen Mental Health

Being a ‘Book Nerd’ Is Good for Teen Mental Health 150 150 se_admin

Good news for all of those teens out there that love to read, but get called nerds for it: reading is great for teen mental health! In a recent CNN article, the merits of reading were discussed. It’s been found that reading books can actually improve teen mental health through allowing individuals to further understand themselves, the people around them, and even work through personal issues.

How reading improves teen mental health

Nowadays, it’s extremely rare to see a teen out in the open reading a book instead of staring at their phone–yes, they could be reading a book on their phone, but odds are it’s Buzzfeed, not Hemingway. Perhaps it’s time to change that because of the multitude of benefits reading proposes.

In the article, the author interviewed a woman named Alison Kerr Courtney. People come to her with issues and she prescribes books to help them work it out. Now this isn’t the answer to depression or anxiety or serious teen mental health issues, but it is a healthy way to cope with challenges in life. Her clients describe her choices as being extremely helpful in self-discovery and issues they’ve faced in their life–issues like grief.

In a recent study, it was actually found that reading fiction improves an individual’s emotional intelligence, allowing them to not only understand the inner-workings of their own minds, but others as well. Specifically fiction that is character-focused instead of plot-focused, because it allows us to see the inside of someone’s mind–though they’re made up–and understand why they do what they do.

Getting your child to read more

Because reading has the power to significantly help with teen mental health, it would be fantastic if all children read; this is hard if parents don’t know how to motivate their teens to pick up a book and read. Oftentimes, individuals don’t read because the only books they’ve been exposed to have been in school–they haven’t found the right one yet. They haven’t found the book that will ignite their motivation for reading.

A great way to start them off on this would be to ask what they’re interested in. For example, if they’re into magic, maybe ask them if they’d be interested in Harry Potter or other fantastical books. There is a book for every person, they just have to find it.

Solstice East can help

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18, grappling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other emotional or behavioral problems. We strive to help our girls develop healthy habits for teens and lead themselves back onto a path of success and happiness.

For more information about how Solstice East improves teen mental health, please call 828-484-9946.

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Using Magnets for Depression Treatment and More

Using Magnets for Depression Treatment and More 150 150 se_admin

In a recent article by NPR, a relatively new FDA approved (it’s been around since 1985, but not approved until 2008) form of depression treatment was discussed: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). It sounds incredibly complicated and a little scary, but it’s really not. A simplified version from the National Institute of Mental Health is that it’s short electromagnetic pulses sent through a coil that’s put against the forehead near an area of the brain thought to relate to mood regulation.

Only used in worst case scenarios

Currently, TMS is a last resort option as depression treatment. Effective major depression treatment is sparse, which is why TMS is often used to treat it. Studies have shown TMS to also be a more tolerable, efficient, and safe major depression treatment than the other options available.

TMS is actually being considered as more than just depression treatment, but possibly other mental disorders. The most recent use for TMS has been in treating symptoms of autism spectrum disorder–but many more studies must be done to tell whether it will be effective or not. Though more research is needed to confirm its usefulness, TMS is obviously helpful in treating aspects of major depression.

Other forms of depression treatment

Many types of therapy and medications are used as depression treatment. A frequently used form of psychotherapy for depression is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It’s used to take negative, fruitless thoughts and replace them with more useful, realistic ones. A frequently type of medication for depression treatment are antidepressants. No one medication or type of therapy works the same on someone suffering from depression. It often takes time to figure out the right combination for each individual.

Solstice East can help

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18, grappling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other emotional or behavioral problems. We strive to help our girls develop healthy habits for teens and lead themselves back onto a path of success and happiness.

For more information about depression treatment for your daughter at Solstice East, please call 828-484-9946.

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