How Art Therapy Works

For many years, traditional psychotherapy techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical-behavioral therapy (among others) have been used successfully as part of evidence-based treatment programs. In recent years, alternative treatment models have become popular mainstream and complementary elements for many mental health and addiction treatment needs. This is not to say the traditional therapy techniques…

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Does My Teenager Need Addiction Help?

For a parent, trying to determine if your teenager has been or is using drugs or alcohol can be hard and emotionally painful. There are several signs to look for if you are concerned that your teen may be using and needs addiction help. It can be challenging to face the fact that your teen…

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When to Seek Treatment for Depression

According to data provided by the National Institutes of Mental Health, approximately seven percent of adults in the United States will experience symptoms of a major depressive disorder in any given year. Many of these individuals will only experience these symptoms once in their lives, typically directly related to a specific event. However, others with…

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Five Questions to Ask When Looking for a Teen Treatment Center

As a parent, there are few decisions that may be harder than those that directly impact your children. The decision to place your child in a residential treatment facility, away from your home, can be overwhelmingly challenging. At the end of 2017, there were nearly fourteen thousand teen treatment centers in the United States. The…

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What Triggers Paranoid Personality Disorder?

Teenagers with paranoid personality disorder suffer from paranoia and an unrelenting mistrust and suspicion of others. These feelings occur even though there is no reason to be suspicious, or nothing has been done to provoke a lack of trust. Those with paranoid personality disorder tend to have significant difficulty maintaining or fostering relationships with family,…

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Do You Have an Avoidant Personality Disorder?

Many people struggle with a certain degree of shyness. However, a small segment of the population suffers from shyness so severe that it brings about significant social inhibition. What is Avoidant Personality Disorder? Those with an avoidant personality disorder experience extreme shyness and an overwhelming fear of rejection. For these individuals these emotions bring about…

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What Bipolar Disorder is NOT

When people hear the words bipolar disorder, they often think it means someone who struggles with frequent mood swings. It is not uncommon to hear people say, “she is so bipolar” or “every day he acts differently…he must be bipolar or something.” People who struggle with bipolar disorder do go through phases of high energy…

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Is Sex Addiction a Mental Illness?

Compulsive sexual behavior, teen sex addiction, or hypersexuality are terms often used interchangeably to describe the actions of a person who either with or without intention engages in sexual behavior. Someone with sexual addiction will experience excessive preoccupations with sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are difficult to control. These behaviors and fantasies eventually cause…

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How Do Medications Help Mental Illness?

Medications are a common component in mental health treatment plans. Well-rounded plans may also include psychotherapy sessions used in conjunction with medications. Selecting the right combination of treatment modalities requires considering the person’s individual needs as each person will respond differently to a treatment.  When medications are used, it is crucial to understand how each…

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Is My Teen Depressed?

If your teenager seems moody and has been withdrawing from their daily life – including no longer doing things they enjoy – you might find yourself wondering “Is my teen depressed?”. Here at Hillcrest, we’d like to provide you with an easy guide to recognizing the symptoms that might plague your teen. Teen depression is…

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