Parenting can be a delicate balance between underreaction and overreaction. Also, when it comes to making those tough decisions that we as parents have to make, it can feel like we are all alone. It can feel like the weight of our daughter’s whole well-being rests on our shoulders. Furthermore, when it comes to those tough decisions we have to make, there may none tougher than getting your daughter into a recovery center.
The first thing we here at Clearview Girls Academy want you to know is that you are not alone. Because of this, you don’t have to make these kinds of tough decisions alone. When it comes to getting your daughter into the right recovery center, we have assessment and enrollment professionals that can help you get her to exactly where she needs to be. Even if your daughter doesn’t end up being with us, our primary purpose is getting young women the best mental health care possible. As long as that happens, we know we are making a difference.
However, before you even get to the place where you are reaching out to recovery centers, there are some warning signs you can watch for regarding your daughter’s mental health. There are also tools and techniques you can use to help establish yourself as the ultimate decider when it comes to choosing a recovery center. It’s one thing to acknowledge that your daughter needs help, but something entirely different to get her there. We can help.
Recognizing the Warning Signs of Adolescent Mental Health Issues
The idea of mental health problems can feel so foreign and frightening that sometimes we become blind to its potential warning signs. This is not intentional, it is just that the spectrum of mental health can be so broad that it can be hard to know where or what to focus on.
Youth.gov offers a few warning signs to watch for if you feel your daughter’s mental health may be in decline. These warning signs include, but are not limited to:
- Experiencing a marked decline in academic performance, especially if they appear to be trying their best
- Showing severe signs of worry or anxiety, including trying to avoid activities and situations they once enjoyed
- Trouble sleeping or eating (either excessively or not enough)
- Complaining of physical ailments that cannot be easily explained
- Partaking in risky behaviors, especially acting out sexually
- Expressing thoughts of self-harm and/or suicide
If you notice any of these warning signs, it may be time to reach out for help. Also, remember that merely reaching out for information and mental health assistance does not mean you have to commit to sending your daughter anywhere.
How to Get Your Daughter Into a Recovery Center
When it comes to your daughter’s mental well-being, remember two things. One, you have your daughter’s best interests at heart. Two, you are in charge.
Does that mean that you should avoid an open and reciprocal relationship with your daughter? No, of course not. What it does mean is that when it comes to mental health, your authority trumps their autonomy. Not because you are authoritarian, but because when it comes to the recovery issue, you know what is best.
Before getting your daughter into a recovery center, there are some steps you can take to see if that is the right decision for her and your family. You may seek out meetings with her teachers and counselors and see if they have noticed anything different in her behavior. Then you may try to connect with a therapist outside of a recovery center to see what they think. You may also reach out directly to a recovery center to see what kind of advice they have for you.
Determining the Right Recovery Center
Choosing the right recovery center can feel a bit overwhelming because there are so many options to research online. Due to this fact, we would like to offer a few tips that may help you avoid a recovery center that does not have your best interest at heart.
If a recovery center “100% guarantees” recovery, you should be wary. While there are great advancements and high probabilities of recovery these days, unfortunately, recovery is never a guarantee. It is a process. If a recovery center does not have any accreditations, you should question it. Not displaying any accreditations on their website may be a sign that they are not well respected in the recovery field. Lastly, if a treatment center does not take your financial situation into account, there is a chance that they are in the recovery realm for the wrong reasons. Those, of course, are financial ones.
As previously mentioned, our primary purpose is to help you help your daughter. If that means getting her into a recovery center, then we are here to help you do that. While we strongly believe in the value of our recovery center, it may not be right for you. If that is the case, we will still be here to help. At our core, helping people is what we are all about.
Understanding that someone needs treatment is a lot different than getting someone into treatment. The act of getting someone to a recovery center can be an arduous one. Often the individual feels that they are not at a place where they require treatment. Understandably, they may also be fearful of what treatment will be like. When this happens with adults, ultimately it falls on them to make the final decision. However, when a child or teenager needs treatment, it falls on the parent or caretaker to make the final decision. If you feel that your child may need treatment, there is help available for you. For more information, call Clearview Girls Academy at (888) 796-5484.
