Bipolar Disorder Treatment Center & Clinic in North Mississippi

Learn more about bipolar disorder treatment at Millcreek of Pontotoc

When children and teens are suffering from bipolar disorder, their lives feel chaotic. The emotional highs and lows that define this devastating disorder can lead to monumental disruption in their abilities to function appropriately on a daily basis. Their hindered inabilities to perform positively at school, to follow rules at home, and to engage in appropriate social interactions can result in a drastically lowered sense of self-worth and further perpetuate the cycle of negative emotions. These children and teens may feel helpless to change and ultimately feel hopeless about the future that awaits them. But life does not have to continue to be a constant struggle. The staff at the treatment clinic at Millcreek of Pontotoc is here to help.

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a behavioral disorders treatment clinic in North Mississippi, we recognize the unique, and often overwhelming, challenges that come with having a child or teen who is afflicted by bipolar disorder. Remaining sensitive to the needs of this population of children and teens, we offer specialized bipolar disorder treatment that is tailored to meet the individual needs of each child or teen who is entrusted into our care. Situated on 18 beautifully shaded acres of serene landscape, our 51-bed residential bipolar disorder treatment center provides caring and compassionate treatment for children and teens between the ages of 6 and 20 who are struggling with an array of mental, emotional, and/or behavioral concerns, including bipolar disorder. In this safe and secure setting, the behavioral and educational needs of these emotionally disturbed children and teens can be addressed as they develop the skills they need to learn how to manage their symptoms, overcome their negative thought patterns, and take the first step towards the happy, healthy, and bright future they deserve.

Helping your child or teen get treatment

If you have a child or teen who is struggling with behavioral and emotional problems, you may have found that it is having devastating effects on not only their life, but on your life as well. You may be experiencing a wide array of emotions. While all children and teens will experience mood swings and may act out in negative behaviors, the symptoms that define bipolar disorder present at such an excessive level that it negatively impacts a child’s ability to make it through each day. If you suspect that your child’s or teen’s mood swings and negative behaviors are indicative of a larger problem, but are not entirely sure if they would warrant a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, here are warning signs to look out for:

• Cycling between extreme emotional highs and extreme emotional lows
• Acting impulsively
• Acting recklessly
• Making expressions of grandiosity
• Rapid speech
• Participating in oppositional, defiant, and/or manipulative behaviors
• Engaging in self-harming behaviors
• Social isolation
• Increased or decreased need for sleep
• Hypersexuality
• Explosive temper tantrums, most commonly exhibited without any provocation
• Demonstrating feelings of restlessness / constant fidgeting

When children and teens are suffering from bipolar disorder, their symptoms will vary based on whether they are experiencing a manic episode or a depressive episodes, and the presentation of such symptoms will vary as well. If you have noticed any of these behaviors being displayed by your child or teen, it would be extremely beneficial to have them be evaluated by a mental health professional in order to determine if treatment is warranted. The earlier that treatment is received, the greater a child’s or teen’s chance for success becomes.

Why consider treatment for bipolar disorder at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

If a child or teen is suffering from bipolar disorder and does not receive bipolar disorder treatment, the long-term effects can be devastating on their future. The symptoms that these children and teens are forced to face on a daily basis can result in academic failure, leaving them struggling to find and maintain steady employment. It can cause them to struggle to develop and keep strong, healthy interpersonal relationships. Their self-esteem can deteriorate as they feel powerless to gain control of their minds. By engaging in appropriate therapeutic interventions, however, the futures of these children and teens can change into positive ones.

Residential bipolar disorder treatment centers have proven to be one of the most beneficial ways for children and teens who are confronted with the challenges of living a life tainted by bipolar disorder find the thorough care that they need. By entering into a residential bipolar disorder treatment clinic, children and teens are walking into a safe environment where they are not only monitored 24/7, but where they can receive the support they need from mental health professionals at any time of the day or night. In a bipolar disorder treatment clinic, children and teens can develop the skills they need to manage their symptoms, learn how to safely take appropriate medications, and be afforded the ability to place their sole focus on becoming well again, free from the stresses and triggers of the outside world. Additionally, in a residential bipolar disorder treatment clinic, children and teens are also able to work with others who are facing similar struggles, helping them to regain a sense of self-confidence by knowing that they are not alone. These programs help children and teens take the first step towards the bright futures that they deserve to have.

Millcreek of Pontotoc’s treatment philosophy and benefits

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a bipolar disorder treatment center in North Mississippi, we are dedicated to helping children and teens lead healthier, more productive lives. By using a multidisciplinary treatment team approach to care, we are able to afford our patients comprehensive bipolar disorder treatment plans that integrate their specific developmental, emotional, behavioral, and educational needs into their individualized plans of action for receiving thorough care. All children and teens in our treatment center benefit from having their own treatment teams which are comprised of psychiatrists, clinical therapists, nurses, teachers, and other healthcare professionals who formulate their treatment plans in conjunction with parents or guardians. When your child or teen comes to our bipolar disorder treatment clinic in North Mississippi, you can rest assured that they will be provided with the most optimal level of care possible in order to ensure that they leave treatment feeling successful, enriched, and fully prepared for the future.

Types of bipolar disorder treatment offered at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a bipolar disorder treatment center, we understand that making the decision to place your child into residential treatment clinic can be difficult. We also understand that the process of doing so can seem intimidating, which is why we strive to make our clinic’s admissions procedure as smooth, easy, and streamlined as possible. In an effort to be as accommodating as we can be, our treatment center’s highly trained and qualified staff is able to conduct psychosocial assessments over the phone, or in person, so as to allow for the admissions process to be a quick one. Once admitted for care into our treatment clinic, every child and teen will undergo a thorough evaluation process that includes physical, educational, psychological, and psychiatric assessments, of which the results will be added to the information provided by the initial psychosocial assessment. This thorough evaluation process allows the staff at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi to gain a full understanding of each child’s or teen’s unique developmental, emotional, and educational needs. Taking into account all of the information received throughout the course of these evaluations, an individualized bipolar disorder treatment plan is then devised for each child or teen. The various aspects of the therapeutic interventions that your child will be afforded as part of their treatment plan may include the following:

Medication management: The implementation of psychotropic medications is cornerstone to the successful treatment of bipolar disorder. Each child or teen will meet with a psychiatrist at our treatment clinic at least once each week in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of any medications that are prescribed, as well as to make any changes that may be necessary.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy sessions at our bipolar disorder treatment center are held for 60 minutes at least once each week and are designed to be a time for children and teens to meet one-on-one with their therapists in order to discuss any concerns they have, to track treatment goals, and to work on personal skills-building. Additional sessions can always be added depending on a child’s or teen’s needs or when specifically requested.

Group therapy: Children and teens in our residential bipolar disorder treatment center participate in 60 minute group therapy sessions five times each week. The majority of the groups are based on a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach and include discussions on topics such as goal-setting, social skills, peer pressure, aggression, following rules, and bullying. All group topics at our treatment clinic are tailored to address specific issues that pertain to the children or teens participating in each particular group, so the topics will vary.

Family therapy: At Millcreek of Pontotoc, located in North Mississippi, we believe that family involvement is paramount in eliciting successful treatment outcomes. Patients and their families participate in 60 minute family therapy sessions at our treatment clinic at least twice each month. However, additional family sessions can be added at any time depending on a patient’s needs or when requested.

Clinical staffings: Each child or teen in our bipolar disorder treatment center is provided with two staffings during their first month at Millcreek, and in one staffing per month for each subsequent month that he or she is in our care. These staffings at our clinic provide patients and their parents or guardians with specified times to meet with their treatment team in order to discuss the child’s progress in all areas of treatment, including therapeutically and academically.

Experiential therapy: In order to provide a well-rounded approach to bipolar disorder treatment, children and teens are offered additional therapeutic options as part of their treatment plans. These options include art therapy, play therapy, and daily recreational therapy.

Education: While participating in treatment at our bipolar disorder treatment clinic in North Mississippi, all patients will attend our fully accredited, onsite therapeutic day school. Classes are held from 8:00am-2:00pm. All classes at our treatment center are taught by teachers who are certified to teach children with special needs, and classes are held in small classrooms with low student-to-teacher ratios in order to ensure that all academic needs are fully addressed.

Continuing care and levels of treatment for bipolar disorder

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a bipolar disorder treatment clinic in North Mississippi, discharge planning starts at the time of admission. Throughout the course of bipolar disorder treatment, each patient’s progress is closely monitored in order to make sure that all treatment goals are successfully reached and that appropriate recommendations for aftercare can be made. All referrals for aftercare services are made based solely on each patient’s present level of functioning at the time of discharge, as well as based on their skills set and the challenges that they may still be facing. Our staff will work with each patient and their family in order to set up any aftercare appointments or services that will help the patient remain successful. Additionally, when it is appropriate, our staff can work with teens in getting them set up with part-time jobs following their discharge.

For those families who are still in need of intensive services, but whose children or teens no longer require a residential bipolar disorder treatment center, we often refer them to MYPAC in order to facilitate wraparound services. MYPAC stands for Mississippi Youth Program Around the Clock and is an intensive wraparound service that provides patients and their families with home therapy services.

Some patients will benefit from transitioning from our residential treatment clinic setting to our therapeutic day school treatment center as part of their step-down process as they re-integrate back into their home lives. Patients taking part in this day school treatment center will receive weekly group and individual therapy sessions, along with monthly family therapy sessions and multidisciplinary treatment team meetings with their psychiatrist.

Whatever your child’s or teen’s ongoing needs may be, you should feel assured that the staff here at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi will do everything in our power to help them continue on their path to success.