The intersection of mental health and addiction often presents a complex landscape that demands a holistic, personalized, and supportive approach to understand. These two elements do not exist in isolation; indeed, they can intertwine in ways that complicate an individual’s path to recovery. A person struggling with mental health disorders may turn to substance use as a coping mechanism, unintentionally paving the way to addiction. Conversely, addiction can exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions, creating a distressing cycle that’s hard to break. Recognizing the intricate dance betwe ..read more

Facing an anxiety attack can be a frightening experience, but remember, you’re not alone. Every year, millions of people worldwide grapple with anxiety disorders, and each of them, like you, seeks ways to regain control. In this post, we’ll discuss how to stop an anxiety attack, providing you with practical, effective strategies to navigate these overwhelming moments. Understanding and managing anxiety attacks is crucial to maintaining mental health and wellness. It’s essential to realize that an anxiety attack, while intense, is temporary and manageable. With the right tools and techniques, y ..read more

Every child deserves a happy and healthy childhood. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than two-thirds of children in the U.S. report at least one traumatic event by age 16. Traumatic events can have long-lasting effects on teenagers emotionally and mentally. These teen trauma effects can lead to academic struggles, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Fortunately, teen trauma treatment can help get your child back on track. Call 877.466.0620 to speak with someone from our car ..read more

With fentanyl use on the rise in teens, parents or family members need to understand fentanyl’s side effects. Unfortunately, fentanyl abuse can lead to harmful side effects with long-term health implications. Call 877.466.0620 to speak with someone from the caring and compassionate team at Destinations for Teens about teen fentanyl addiction, our fentanyl addiction treatment options across California, and how we can help you and your family. What Is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid painkiller that is stronger than morphine and heroin. It’s primarily used for medical purposes, including ..read more

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and, therefore, part of what drives the fatalities of the opioid epidemic in the United States. In California, there were nearly 6,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2021. Fentanyl abuse has become a public health problem in recent years, leading to an increase in fatalities. In fact, this type of addiction can lead to severe physical and psychological health complications. Fentanyl addiction treatment can be a long and challenging journey but it can be overcome. Call 877.466.0620 to speak with someone from the caring and compassionate team at Destinations for ..read more

You may already be familiar with the concept of self-harm, but you may wonder: Is self-harm addictive? And in cases of teen self-harm addiction, what can parents do to help their children? Teen self-harm addiction is a growing concern that has reached epidemic proportions in recent years. More and more young adults are struggling with this addiction and desperately searching for ways to cope with the emotional pain they are feeling. Often, teens turn to self-harm behaviors as a means of coping with their anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. As such, parents, teachers, and ca ..read more

Content Warning: this blog post discusses self-harm and self-injurious behavior and may not be suitable for certain viewers. If you or someone you love is feeling the urge to self-harm, seeking help is important. If you are feeling suicidal ideation or behavior, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988. Self-harm is one way that teens might try to cope with their negative emotions and beliefs about themselves. Self-harm can also result from an underlying mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, or other behavioral conditions.   Parents and caretakers may fe ..read more

Self-harm is one way that people respond to the symptoms of their mental health disorders. Self-harm occurs when somebody hurts themselves in response to painful feelings, memories, overwhelming situations, and experiences. Self-harm is dangerous for several reasons, but thoughts of self-harm can be treated. If your teen is experiencing thoughts of self-harm or acting them out, reach out to Destinations for Teens today to discuss our teen self-harm addiction treatment programs via 877.466.0620. What Is Self-Harm? Self-harm is when somebody hurts themselves in response to a negative emotion, ex ..read more

Teens are also more prone to making risky and dangerous decisions because many parts of the brain, including the decision-making centers, take nearly 30 years to fully develop. When you mix a still-developing brain with school and stress, drug and alcohol use can quickly follow. Adolescence is an especially trying time. Peer pressure, puberty, stress, and school can make it easy for teens to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Drug and alcohol use is also pretty common among teens, with about two-thirds of 12th graders having drunk at least once. Since all substances, including alcohol, nicotin ..read more

Teenagers love to socialize and attend parties. And for some teens, using party drugs is customary. While some teens experiment with party drugs because of peer pressure, others are curious about how drugs will immediately make them feel. But what happens when the occasional party drug usage (which is not positive behavior!) becomes an addiction? If you believe your teen is abusing party drugs and impacting their mental health, it is time to seek a substance abuse treatment program. As a parent, are you discussing how party drugs can be harmful to your teen? Teenagers who commonly abuse the pa ..read more