Adolescent Dual Diagnosis

Adolescent dual diagnosis can make ordinary addiction treatment programs all but useless. When a teen has a substance abuse problem, there’s about a 50% chance that a mental disorder is present, too. This is an adolescent dual diagnosis, and it calls for a special type of treatment. Both the addiction and the mental illness must be addressed at the same time. This is why many methods of treating substance abuse don’t work for teens. If there’s a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder present, 12 step programs and other common self-treatments usually won’t work. And if they do work at first, they don’t work for long.

Adolescent dual diagnosis presents a special challenge, both for the adolescent treatment center and for the teen. Dealing with a mood disorder is difficult for an adult, but it’s even hard for a teenager. Self-medicating with drugs and alcohol is a common response in anyone trying to deal with a mental disorder on his or her own. Here’s where Cliffside Malibu can help. Our treatment facility understands adolescent dual diagnosis and knows how to help teens fight addiction. We do this while helping them understand and deal with their mental disorder. This is the only successful way to treat anyone with a dual diagnosis. At Cliffside Malibu, we understand the special treatment needs of kids suffering with substance abuse and mental issues. We’ve helped many overcome these problems already. If your teenager has a dual diagnosis or you suspect he or she does, call Cliffside Malibu at 1-800-501-1988.

Treating Adolescent Dual Diagnosis

Cliffside Malibu has experience treating adolescent dual diagnosis. Our luxury treatment facility is especially designed to make everyone who stays here feel comfortable and relaxed. This type of atmosphere is especially helpful for teens. Life is extra hard when you’re a teenager, with peer pressure and pressure to do well in school. All of the big life decisions teens have to make as they become adults are scary. The last thing someone with an adolescent dual diagnosis needs is to stay at a treatment center that seems scary or bleak. Many clinics that have a more institutional feel seem like hospitals or even jails when looked at through teenaged eyes. Why not give your teen a luxury experience to put them at ease and let them know everything’s going to be okay?

An adolescent dual diagnosis might have your teen even more frustrated and scared than the addiction and the illness. At Cliffside Malibu, everything is comfy and bright. There is no sense that treatment is punishment, like a teen might get from a dim and bleak facility. With an adolescent dual diagnosis, letting your teen recover at Cliffside Malibu sends a clear message. It says, “You are not being punished. This is not your fault.” When the beds and furniture are comfortable and everything is beautiful, your teenager won’t feel like it’s some sort of penance for being bad. They’ll understand that our only goal is to help them get better. Call Cliffside Malibu today at 1-800-501-1988 to experience our adolescent dual diagnosis program for yourself.

Teen Mood Disorder

Being a teenager with a mood disorder can actually lead the way to substance abuse. This can happen to kids, just like it can adults. With an undiagnosed mood disorder, the tendency is to want to relieve the pain and symptoms. So when teens with these problems medicate themselves with drugs and alcohol, they’re at risk for addiction. This is an adolescent dual diagnosis. If you try to treat the addiction on its own, it doesn’t help the problem that caused it in the first place. And treating the mental disorder part of an adolescent dual diagnosis won’t be successful if nothing is done about the mind and mood altering alcohol and drug use.

At Cliffside Malibu, we treat dual diagnosis the way it needs to be treated. We work on the substance abuse at the same time as we help your teen learn to deal with a mood disorder. An adolescent dual diagnosis could be clinical depression, bipolar disorder or other things like panic disorder or PTSD that are aggravating the substance abuse problem. We’ll figure out what it is and help your teen through it. If your teen has already been diagnosed, we’ll confirm it and go from there. Give your teen the best chance of recovery in our beautiful treatment center high in the Malibu, California hillside. Show them that recovery doesn’t have to be unpleasant or painful. Call Cliffside Malibu today at 1-800-501-1988.

Dangers of Adolescent Dual Diagnosis

An adolescent dual diagnosis that isn’t properly treated can be a danger to your child. Teenage suicide rates are on the rise, and attempts by kids with mental disorders are not uncommon. If you suspect that an adolescent dual diagnosis is causing your teen’s problems, call Cliffside Malibu today and talk to a trained counselor. They can help you sort through the signs and understand what’s going on with your child.

When a teenager comes to Cliffside Malibu for adolescent dual diagnosis treatment, a therapist will create an individualized treatment plan. Each person is treated according to his or her needs, not according to some one-size-fits-all plan. This is especially important with kids, who are going through a period in their lives where they’re figuring out who they are as individuals. While they’re here, they can enjoy all the amenities Cliffside Malibu offers. There’s swimming via private beach access, a lap pool, a fitness room and personal trainer, beautiful gardens and activities for them to enjoy. They can even try alternative therapies like yoga. Their stay can even be something they’ll remember as fun and positive. You need to call us at 1-800-501-1988.

Fighting Teenage Addiction

Adolescent dual diagnosis can be truly frightening for both teens and parents. Many recovered teens have a high relapse rate because both conditions weren’t treated properly at the same time. At Cliffside Malibu, we eliminate this problem by working through the substance abuse and the disorder with your teen, to fight the cause and the symptom together. And after discharge, our follow-up counseling can help your teenager stay strong in the face of problems and temptations. Give your child the best chance of recovery by calling right now.

For additional information on the exclusive Adolescent Dual Diagnosis services at
Cliffside Malibu, please visit our main Adolescent Drug Treatment page. For immediate assistance, call Cliffside Malibu anytime at 1-800-501-1988.