For
Teens
Talk to a
SPECIALIST
about our
TREATMENT
SERVICES
– Alexandria, age 19
We Are Here to Help You
As an adolescent you face many challenges and expectations. You cope with pressure from your school to perform academically, pressure from your peers to fit in, and pressure from your parents to do everything that they were not able to do when they were growing up. You even cope with pressure you have placed on yourself. Sometimes you may feel that all of this is too much.
Your teenage years are particularly stressful because you are trapped in the middle of childhood and adulthood. On one hand you are asked to behave like an adult but in most cases you are not entitled to the corresponding privileges that come with adulthood. You are asked to behave like a grown up while simultaneously being treated like a child. It can be frustrating, invalidating, and difficult to get your needs met when you are asked to give so much and yet it feels that you receive so little in return.
Many teens struggle emotionally and it is our society’s great shame that we do such a poor job of supporting adolescents during this trying time. You may find yourself experiencing bouts of sadness, anger, frustration, and fear with very little acknowledgment from your parents, teachers, and peers.
Many teens have great difficulty coping with this onslaught of emotions and they are woefully unsupported and uneducated on what these feelings mean and how to handle them.
You may find comfort in actions and behaviors that help you think less about all of the pressures associated with being a teenager. However, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to cope with the tremendous strain that you are under. Some behaviors create the illusion of release when in reality they are making your life more difficult. Disordered eating, substance use, and self harm may feel like a solution to your problems, but in reality they are only making your life more painful and difficult.
How We Can Help
At Adolescent Growth, we specialize in Residential Treatment for males and females aged twelve to seventeen who are struggling with Eating disorders, Mental Health Issues, Substance Abuse, or Co-Occurring Disorders. You may feel angry at your parents, hurt by your teachers, or betrayed by your peers. Most of all you feel different from everyone else around you. Maybe you have been thinking it’s time for a change.
– Cheyenne, age 16
Here’s What Other Teens are Saying
“When I first went into Adolescent Growth, I was 17 years old, smoking weed, doing ecstasy more than once a week whenever I went partying, ditching school, sneaking out all week long just to go out to the park and have fun with my friends and drink, I knew what I was doing was bad, but there was no one stopping me. My parents had no idea what I was doing, they just thought I was anti-social because whenever they were home I locked myself into my room and never wanted to talk to them. I was in a very bad place using drugs and alcohol to cover up a bigger problem. But with the help of Anna, who was my main therapist, I was able to open up and find out exactly why I was unhappy and were able to work on my problems.
I have been out of the facility for almost two years this September. And I am very grateful for Adolescent Growth helping me out with all my problems. I am also glad they have a lot of different floor counselors—who were young and old— because whenever I had a tough therapy session, I always had my primary counselor and others to go to and just talk to.
They treated me like family and I felt very safe there. As of right now, I am in a program to become an alcohol and drug counselor. I was really affected by the staff there and how much they helped me change, I want to be able to help others change as well.
My advice to any parents or guardians thinking about sending their daughter or son to Adolescent Growth is do it. My parents are glad they did, I am more open with them, I regained so many values, I learned how to cope with my problems in a positive way, and I felt as though things only have gotten better for me since I have gone. I am thankful for my parents sending me even though I fought them every step of the way.
My advice to any kids who are being forced into Adolescent Growth, is to have an open mind. My first day at Adolescent Growth, I cried, didn’t want to be there and didn’t talk to anyone; I thought my parents were ruining my life by sending me there. I thought I was going to lose all of my friends. I thought so many horrible things, but the staff really made me comfortable and I started to relax. And after opening up and getting along with everyone, I was able to work on myself and find my problems. But I will tell you this, leaving Adolescent Growth was the hardest thing for me, I was so excited to go back home but not having a structured day every day and not having someone to talk to everyday, that really bothered me most. Keeping a positive attitude while in the house is the way to go, best wishes.”
— Alexandria, age 19