Sunday, November 28, 2010

Psychiatric Hospitalization for Troubled Teens


Psychiatric hospitals provide the highest level of treatment available to teens and are intended for the short-term stabilization of serious mental health issues. A hospital setting can help a teen in crisis by providing a locked environment with constant clinical supervision to ensure their safety.

When is a Psychiatric Hospital Needed?

Similar to a hospital for physical problems, a psychiatric hospital is set up to deal with mood or behavioral changes that come on suddenly and require intense structure and intervention to keep the teen safe.

Situations in which a teen might require hospitalization include a suicide attempt, threatening someone with a weapon, hallucinations, uncontrollable physical rage or manic episodes. Teens will receive the best care in a hospital that specializes in treating this age group- ask if the hospital has an adolescent unit.

Psychiatric Hospitals Explained

The two most important things to know about psychiatric hospitals are:

1. The treatment is fast-paced and intense.

2. The length of stay will be very short, usually several days.

Hospitals for mental health issues are intended to thoroughly evaluate the crisis, act quickly to stabilize the teen and develop a plan for continued care.

A comprehensive evaluation begins at the time of admission and is completed by interviewing the teen, family members and mental health or school professionals who have worked with the teen and can provide relevant information. This assessment considers the prior history of problems in mood or behavior, use of drugs or alcohol, previous treatment, physical illness or symptoms, family history of mental illness etc.

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