The Best Teen Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment Center in Valdosta, GA

Understanding the Treatment for Teens with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder, also known as ODD, is a mental health condition that includes behavioral concerns that can drastically alter the course of a teen’s life if the condition remains untreated. Cornerstone to this illness are profound irritability, excessive argumentativeness, vindictiveness, and intense anger. Oftentimes, outbursts of aggression, be it verbal or physical, can be unprovoked, and instances of challenging the authority of others can be regular occurrences. Without proper and effective treatment, a young person is vulnerable to enduring a great deal of strife and risks to being able to achieve to his or her highest potential. Because of these possible outcomes, it is necessary for a young person to treatment from a qualified treatment provider.

Greenleaf Behavioral Hospital, a renowned purveyor of mental health treatment, is pleased to offer the highest quality care possible to people of all ages. When a youth is struggling with a mental disorder, like oppositional defiant disorder, he or she is viewed as more than just his or her symptoms, and is given the attention, skills, and encouragement needed to live a healthier life. Via time-tested interventions and our expertly trained staff, teens can come to Greenleaf and, soon after, begin living the lives they deserve.

Helping Your Teen Get Treatment

If your child has been displaying behavioral and emotional symptoms that are synonymous with untreated ODD, they you are likely at a loss for what you feel you can do to help your teen learn to manage his or her symptoms. You may have has discussions about your child’s behavior with school personnel and/or law enforcement and feel that you have done all that you can to help your teen. However, even if you feel that nothing more can be done, there are some resources that can help. Please consider the following steps, which can help your child access treatment for ODD:

• Learn all that you can about oppositional defiant disorder and talk about this condition with a mental health professional in your area. In doing so, you can learn about treatment options that can help your child.
• Research options for care that may be beneficial for your teen. Contact a few centers to learn about their programming, and be sure to inquire about their admissions process.
• While you have no doubt talked to your child about his or her behavior, try to talk to him or her about seeking treatment. While you may be met with resistance, it is still important to talk about this very real possibility with your teen.
• Schedule an assessment at a treatment center. During the assessment, be sure to be as open and honest as possible about what you have observed in your child.
• Should your teen be admitted for treatment, do your best to be an active participant in his or her care.

Finally, as a parent or guardian of a teen with ODD, it is crucial that you take time for yourself to practice good self-care. If you are not refreshed, you will not be in the best place possible to help your child during this important time in his or her life.

Why Consider Treatment at Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital in Valdosta, GA

Untreated oppositional defiant disorder symptoms can cause a variety of unpleasant consequences for a teen if treatment is never received. Academic pursuits can be thwarted due to regular disciplinary action at school, peer relationships can be difficult to form and result in a teen being isolated, and connections between a youth and his or her family members can be rife with conflict. Additionally, and because this disorder can cause a young person to challenge and defy authority, there is a strong possibility that a teen with untreated ODD will have ongoing interactions with law enforcement or other authoritative figures as time goes on.

As a youth with untreated oppositional defiant disorder transitions into adulthood, the risk for incarceration and other such detriments are probable. Given these adverse outcomes, it is beneficial for a teen who is demonstrating symptoms synonymous with ODD to receive effective treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment Options for Teens Offered at Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital

Located in Valdosta, Georgia, Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital is a pioneering provider of world class mental health and substance abuse treatment for individuals of all ages. Since treating its first client, this 113-bed center has offered a supportive and caring environment in which teens, men, and women can come to heal and grow into healthier and more productive beings.

At Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital, we understand how difficult adolescence can be when a mental health condition is present. For this reason, we are proud to offer acute inpatient programming for teens between the ages of 12 and 17. When engaged in this invaluable program, young people benefit from compassionate support from our staff and time-tested therapeutic interventions that are proven to help teens successfully manage mental health and substance use concerns. Additionally, each teen is afforded with highly personalized care in the form of individualized treatment planning that takes into account each young person’s needs and goals for treatment.

Once the streamlined admissions process is complete, our staff will determine the methods of care that can best address the treatment requirements of the youth. Once done, the teens treated at Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital will then experience a blend of the following effective interventions:

Medication management services: Teens who come to Greenleaf for the treatment of oppositional defiant disorder may require pharmaceutical intervention in order to stabilize and more effectively manage their symptoms. When this is the case, our expertly trained psychiatrists will work closely with each teen and their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) so that it can be conclusively determined if medication is necessary. These same staff members, along with the other mental health professionals at Greenleaf, are able to monitor the administration and effectiveness of any medication prescribed so that each young person who receives this type of care will experience the most favorable treatment outcomes.

Detoxification services: For some teens, substance use concerns are present at the same time as ODD. Because of this fact, we are pleased to offer detoxification services so that harmful substances of abuse can be cleared from teens’ bodies in order for them to progress in their healing processes. Detoxification is a closely monitored service, as the health and wellbeing of the adolescents we treat are our top priority.  

Individual therapy: Since each teen we treat is a unique person, with varying strengths, needs, and treatment initiatives, we purposefully include individual therapy in the care available to young people needing treatment for oppositional defiant disorder. During individual therapy sessions, teens will be able to meet with a member of our staff so that they can talk about concerns that they may not feel comfortable discussing in a group setting, process their past experiences and how they are doing in treatment, and work to establish goals for the present and future. These sessions are scheduled on an as-needed basis and can be monumentally helpful for the young people entrusted into our care, as they enable teens to receive the individual attention they deserve.

Group therapy: A great deal can be gained when one is able to receive encouragement and support from others who are grappling with similar concerns. At Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital, the treatment we offer teens includes daily group therapy sessions so that each young person is able to experience peer support, practice coping skills, and process through their feelings and emotions with other teens who may have experienced similar struggles. When a youth comes to us battling oppositional defiant disorder, these sessions can be integral in helping him or her develop the confidence needed to heal and become well again. Among the topics covered in group therapy sessions, the following are those that are commonly featured:

• Addictive behaviors and triggers
• Effectively expressing emotions
• Life skills
• Stress management
• Anger management
• Communication skills

Experiential therapy: At Greenleaf, we recognize the importance of remaining active and creative beings while working towards healing from ODD. Given this fact, we are proud to offer recreational and creative opportunities to the teens we treat so that they can experience healing on all levels. Depending on each teen’s needs, we facilitate physical fitness activities and creative art projects that are supervised by the dedicated staff who are providing treatment at our hospital.

Family therapy: We have found that the young people we treat tend to thrive and experience more favorable treatment outcomes when they have positive support from the individuals who are closest to them. For this reason, our adolescent programming includes family therapy sessions with a member of our compassionate staff. As a teen learns to manage the symptoms of ODD, he or she also learns to rely on the support of loved ones, and family members are given the support and guidance for how they can best help the young person once he or she returns home. Family therapy sessions are also designed to help mend the emotional wounds of the past so that the family unit can move forward as a united front.

Family education: For the parents and legal guardians of teens struggling with oppositional defiant disorder, it may be confusing to know what exactly to do to help someone grappling with this type of mental health concern. For this reason, we offer parents and legal guardians support and guidance in the form of education while their children are in our care. During family education opportunities, our staff will do the following:

• Provide them with the resources needed to help their children thrive long after leaving Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital
• Inform those closest to our clients on how to best support their child during and after treatment is complete
• Explain the effects of mental illness on their children’s emotions and behavior

Discharge planning: At Greenleaf, we strive to improve the lives of all we treat and arm them with the confidence and skills needed to be healthier. Each teen who is treated for ODD benefits from the aforementioned methods of care, and is also afforded with a thorough discharge plan so that they can continue to be successful in managing their oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. Discharge planning at Greenleaf is an ongoing process that aims to address each teen’s barriers to wellness, and attempts to put resources in place so as to ensure that a life of improved mental health is achieved.

Once a teen has successfully completed our acute inpatient program, he or she may be recommended to participate in a lower level of care so that his or her healing journey can continue. Depending on the recommendations set forth in the youth’s discharge plan, Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital offers both a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP). These two outpatient treatment options are designed to help teens working to manage the symptoms of ODD slowly transition back into their communities by providing them with the additional services needed to become well again.

As a leading provider of mental health and substance abuse treatment, Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital is pleased to offer the high quality care teens need to address, process, and manage such concerns. We firmly believe that we can help your child learn to better handle the symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, and we look forward to providing you with the support you need to help this special person in your life. If you would like to learn more about Greenleaf, our treatment methods, how we can help your child, or to begin the process of admissions, feel free to contact us at your convenience.

At Greenleaf Behavioral Health Hospital, we are uniquely prepared to help your teen build the foundation for a healthier future.