Leading Bipolar Disorder Treatment Center for Children & Teens in Arkansas

Learn more about bipolar disorder treatment at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness that plagues many children and adolescents or teens. The extreme emotional highs and lows that define bipolar disorder can cause significant disruptions in the lives of those inflicted with it. When children suffer from bipolar disorder, they will act out in a variety of ways, many of which can result in negative consequences at home, at school, and within their social lives. While there is no cure for bipolar disorder, children and adolescents or teens can find relief from their symptoms through appropriate therapeutic interventions. Your child does not have to continue to struggle. Millcreek can help you and your child or adolescent with our bipolar disorder treatment facility.

At Millcreek Behavioral Health, we understand the many challenges that a child who has bipolar disorder can present, and we offer specialized bipolar disorder treatment programming. Our bipolar disorder treatment facility has years of experience working with children and adolescents who are struggling with bipolar disorder. Our treatment facility, located in Arkansas, is spread out across 37 acres of beautiful, natural landscape, our two residential treatment centers, including our newest facility which opened in February of 2014, provide patients with the comfortable atmosphere that they would not receive in a traditional high-rise locked hospital. At our treatment center for bipolar disorder, we can provide your child with the therapeutic interventions that they need to overcome their challenges in the safest and most comfortable environment possible.

Helping a loved one get treatment for bipolar disorder

Having a child who is suffering from bipolar disorder can have devastating effects on you as a parent. You may have discovered that it is a struggle to get through the day because you are worried about what your child’s behavior how they will react to certain situations. You might also be concerned as to what your child’s future holds if their behaviors are not addressed.

Children and adolescents or teens who are suffering from bipolar disorder will typically experience some, if not all, of the following symptoms:

• Explosive, unprovoked temper tantrums
• Rapid speech
• Aggressive and/or manipulative behaviors
• Oppositional and/or defiant behaviors
• Restlessness / constant fidgeting
• Increased or decreased need for sleep (or both, depending on the day)
• Isolation
• Self-harming behaviors
• Hypersexuality
• Making grandiose statements

If these are things that you have noticed in your child, then it would be beneficial to seek guidance from a mental health professional who can provide your child with a thorough assessment in order to determine what the appropriate course of action. Oftentimes, a treatment facility’s residential program can be a beneficial resource for providing your child with the intensive care that they need. Fortunately, the bipolar disorder residential program at Millcreek in Arkansas can help you and your child.

Why consider treatment for bipolar disorder at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

If an adolescent or teen who has bipolar disorder does not receive treatment, the long-term effects can be detrimental on his or her future. When symptoms go untreated, they are likely to intensify, leading to more disruption in the child’s life. This can further result in children having difficulty successfully completing school, getting and maintaining a job, and developing healthy interpersonal relationships. By engaging in a bipolar disorder treatment center, however, they can change their futures.

Our residential treatment centers have proven to be successful in helping children and adolescents or teens overcome the challenges that they face as a result of bipolar disorder. When children are provided with the opportunity to take part in Millcreek’s residential program, they are offered the chance to focus solely on addressing their concerns and becoming well. Through our treatment facility’s residential bipolar disorder program, children and adolescents will work with others who are struggling with the same kinds of problems that they are, resulting in the development of confidence. The intensity of the support that they will have and the thoroughness of the treatment that they will receive can positive changes in your child’s life.

Millcreek Behavioral Health philosophy and treatment benefits

At Millcreek Behavioral Health, we are devoted to helping children learn to make better choices in all aspects of their lives; changes that will continue to positively affect them as they grow. Our treatment facility strives to meet all of our clients where they are at, tailoring treatment center plans to meet all of their unique needs. We approach bipolar disorder treatment utilizing an integrated, multi-component program model that is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has proven to be effective in treating a wide variety of populations and diagnoses. CBT is an evidence-based model that works to target thinking errors by correcting maladaptive thoughts and replacing them with new coping skills and problem-solving techniques. The members of our highly trained and qualified treatment team of our bipolar disorder treatment center in Arkansas work with children to facilitate change and  help them learn to take responsibility for the changes they need to make.

Types of bipolar disorder treatment offered at Millcreek Behavioral Health in Arkansas

When children and adolescents come to us for treatment, they will first complete a thorough diagnostic assessment and a psychiatric evaluation completed by medical experts at our bipolar disorder treatment center. The findings of these assessments will be used by a treatment facility’s interdisciplinary team to develop a master bipolar disorder treatment plan that will then be reviewed by our center’s psychiatrist. This master plan will specify treatment goals and objectives for each individual client, including specific intervention components that will aid in meeting the child’s individual needs.

The program model at Millcreek, a treatment facility in Arkansas, is divided into four distinct phases, which include:

• Why am I here?
• Making the connection
• Learning new skills
• Application

All residents are required to complete all aspects of each phase in order to advance to the next. Some of the facility’s treatment methods that will be used and some of the activities that residents will participate in as they advance through the program may include the following:

Medication: One part of successfully treating bipolar disorder is the use of certain psychotropic medications. Children who are placed on medication will be consistently monitored by their treatment center in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of the medications, as well as to make any changes that might be necessary.

Group therapy: Group therapy is held multiple times throughout the week by facility’s bipolar disorder treatment team and the sessions cover a wide range of topics. The groups that the adolescents or teens will participate in will be determined based on their individualized bipolar disorder treatment plans, but some of the topics that are covered in these group sessions may include: activities of daily living (ADLs), coping skills, social skills, self-soothing, and behavior management.

Recreational therapy: All of the children and adolescents or teens in our programs will participate in recreational therapy, which includes participating in activities such as creative arts, sports, social outings, park outings, adventure programs, and leisure. These activities are designed to aid in the development of appropriate social skills.

Education: Every child and adolescent that we treat at Millcreek, located in Arkansas, will attend our fully accredited school program, which is held Monday through Friday. Each child will be given a distinct, individualized education plan based on their specific academic needs.

Depending on the treatment track in which your child is enrolled, in addition to the presence of any specific treatment needs, they may also participate in some, or all, of the following:

• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Student council

Continuing care and levels of treatment for bipolar disorder

Case managers will be will be meeting with your child on a daily basis and will help identify what the next best plan of action should be. These case managers can help schedule any necessary follow-up appointments with outpatient providers and can provide you and your child with specific resources that are available for support within your community. For those patients who qualify, there is the option of entering into a waiver program where individuals can return home and still receive any additional assistance with daily living skills that may be needed.