Knoxville’s Suicidal Ideation Treatment Center for Teens

Learn more about suicidal ideation treatment at Village Behavioral Health near Knoxville, TN

Suicidal thoughts, or suicidal ideation, are thoughts about ending one’s own life. These ideations can range from fleeting thoughts to well-constructed, detailed plans. While the majority of teens with suicidal thoughts do not follow through on them, there are a number of adolescents or teens who do make suicide attempts. In the United States, suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 years and the fourth leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 14. Losing a child to suicide is beyond devastating. However, many times, suicide can be prevented. This is why a teen’s suicidal thoughts, behaviors, and statements should be treated with serious concern and immediate action.

At Village Behavioral Health, a suicidal ideation treatment center in Knoxville, TN, we know that right now your adolescent or teen is in an enormous amount of emotional turmoil – the clouds of sadness never seem to lift. We understand that your teen feels hopeless and believes that suicide is the only way to end the pain they feel. However, we want both you and your teen to know that there is another way – suicide is not the answer. Whatever emotional burden your teen is struggling with, the compassionate staff at VBH is here to help. Don’t wait, pick up the phone and call our treatment center.

Helping a loved one get treatment for suicidal ideation

Adolescence is a particularly difficult time and filled with many challenges. Adolescents or teens experience hormonal changes, peer pressure, increased academic demands, and increased interpersonal tension. These changes, along with life challenges such as parental divorce or loss of a loved one, can lead to a number of overwhelming feelings. As a parent, it may be difficult to discern between a temporary state of depression and indications that your adolescent is contemplating suicide.

Here are some warning signs that may indicate your teen is suicidal. Never ignore symptoms of suicidal thoughts in teens – their life may well depend upon it:

• Making statements such as “I wish I were dead,” or “the world will be better off without me.”
• Increased desire to be alone
• Running away from home
• Preoccupation with death and dying
• Giving away prized personal possessions
• Abusing drugs or alcohol
• Increased self-harming behaviors
• Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
• Previous suicide attempts

While many of these signs are also symptoms of depression, it is still imperative to seek immediate help for your teen. Even if your adolescent or teen is depressed and you’re unsure if they are actively suicidal, these symptoms, along with other unusual or distressing behavior, should be taken very seriously. While your teen may only seem mildly sad, they may be thinking about suicide. Some of the following signs should be seen as an urgent warning that your teen may be actively planning a suicide attempt:

• Saying things like “I want to kill myself” or “I just want to disappear forever”
• Writing a will
• Writing a suicide note
• Obtaining tools that could aid with suicide such as a knife or rope
• Making threats such as “Don’t worry I won’t be a problem anymore”
• Becoming suddenly calm or cheerful after a prolonged period of depression

Any sign, suggestion, or threat of suicide is a cry for help and you should seek professional help for your teen. Immediately call 911 – do not hesitate even if your teen claims to be feeling better or didn’t really mean it. It’s far better to be safe than sorry and gambling with your teen’s life is never worth it. In addition to seeking help for your teen you should regularly:

• Ask your teen how they are feeling
• Assure them that you are always there for them – no matter what
• Listen without judging
• Remind them that you love them no matter what
• Avoid unnecessary criticism
• Remove all firearms from the house
• Lock up all pills, knives, and poisons
• Research suicide prevention resources and support groups

If your child is indeed suicidal it is very important to understand that this is not something they can control and are not able to simply “snap out of it”.

Why consider treatment for suicidal ideation at Village Behavioral Health near Knoxville, TN

Adolescents and teens who are contemplating or who have previously attempted suicide should seek treatment at a treatment center right away. They should receive immediate, qualified, and comprehensive care from a licensed mental health professional. A depressed teen is in a state in which they feel discouraged, worthless, and unable to see a better future. These teens need immediate crisis treatment from a team of professionals as well as your unconditional support and understanding in order to make a full recovery.

A residential suicidal ideation treatment program at a treatment center that specializes in treating adolescents or teens is one of the best options for treating suicidal ideations. In a residential suicidal ideation treatment center, your teen will be in a safe environment while they explore their emotions and the life circumstances that caused the development of suicidal ideation. In a residential program, your teen can focus all of their time and energy into getting better. Through a number of therapeutic approaches at a treatment center, such as group, individual, and family therapy, as well as medication management and experiential treatments, your adolescent can once again live a happy life.

Village Behavioral Health philosophy and treatment benefits

At Village Behavioral Health, a suicidal ideation treatment center in Knoxville, our main goal is to provide troubled youth a structured, caring, and supportive environment that gives them the opportunity to learn adaptive problem solving skills. Additionally, our treatment center aims to aid in healing emotional and cognitive issues in order for teens to successfully rejoin their families and community. We provide compassionate care for adolescents or teens struggling with mental health and behavioral disorders using a multidisciplinary approach to care designed to treat all aspects of a teen – mind, body, and soul.

Types of suicidal ideation treatment offered at Village Behavioral Health near Knoxville, TN

Our residential suicidal ideation treatment center provides all teens with 24-hour supervision and intensive therapeutic services. Each teen receives an individualized treatment plan designed around their needs. When your teen arrives at Village Behavioral Health, we will perform a complete assessment to give us greater insight into their struggles. Through this assessment, we will be able to determine any co-occurring disorders and other concerns your teen may be facing. Based upon the results, our treatment center will create a treatment plan, incorporating your feedback, which will serve as the guide for your teens stay with us. Additionally, your teen will be assigned to a cabin group to whom they can look to for support while in our treatment center’s residential program.

Medication: Many teens who have thought about or attempted suicide are so depressed that therapy alone is not enough. These teens will likely be prescribed an antidepressant to control depression symptoms and promote motivation to learning coping skills learned in therapy. If your teen requires medication, they will be closely monitored by our in-house psychiatrist and nurse practitioner at our suicidal ideation treatment center.

Individual therapy: A highly qualified therapist at our treatment center will work one-on-one to help your teen understand and cope with their emotions. Through a variety of different methods, your teen will work through different experiences, identify life stressors, and improve their problem-solving abilities. Individual therapy is held at least once a week, but is available more often if needed.

Group therapy: Groups are the cornerstone of therapy at The Village and are held each day. Groups are an important part of your teen’s recovery as it allows them to bond with and work together with peers struggling with similar challenges. Groups help set daily goals, develop new coping strategies, and learn how to control behaviors.

Family therapy:  When an adolescent or teen is suicidal, the whole family is affected. Family therapy is essential for the recovery of a suicidal teen as it builds a support system for the teen and addresses concerns from other family members. We provide family therapy at least once each week, more as needed, in order to educate your loved ones about suicidal ideation and recovery.

Village Behavioral Health provides you with experiential methods in addition to our traditional therapeutic methods. These therapeutic methods offered by our treatment method includes:

• Recreation therapy
• Ropes course
• 12-step meetings
• Crafts
• Music
• Dance
• Drama
• Sports

Continuing care and levels of treatment for suicidal ideations

During the intake process, the suicidal ideation treatment center at The Village, located in Knoxville, will explore other care options for your teen post-discharge. A couple of weeks before discharge, the treatment team will make a recommendation for appropriate aftercare options based on current and future needs of your teen. One option may be to step down from our treatment center into an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), both of which will allow your teen to work on their recovery while gradually reintegrating back into daily life. Some adolescents have made enough progress that they’re ready to return to their community armed with referrals to traditional outpatient therapy and community resources.