The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
Over the past few weeks and months, like many others, I have been struggling immensely with my mental health. A series of panic attacks, depressive episodes, and anxiety-filled breakdowns have really spiraled out of control due to a mix of stressors from work, family, and more. It got to a tipping point earlier this month when I felt uncomfortable being alone, and that’s when I knew that I needed more help.
As a result, I had called upon a resource that I have used in the past called RE:SOLVE, a clinic focused on mental health crises that offers telephone, walk-in, and mobile health services. I had my partner call the telephone number, and they then had the mobile team come to my apartment. After a 30-minute discussion where I recounted my story and increasing mental health symptoms, they advised me to do the residential program, which they said usually takes about one to two weeks and allows you to rest while taking part in various activities. What makes this different from the hospital is the fact that you can leave for up to 8 hours at a time, which I liked. So, I decided to go and try this out.
During the week, I partook in the different activities. There was “group” every afternoon, which consisted of speaking with others that were inpatient about things like gratitude, meditation, and more. There were peer supports there that you could speak to one-on-one about things and get advice from others who were going through similar experiences. Clinicians checked with you a few times a day just to see how things were going and track your progress. Finally, there was a doctor or nurse that I could meet with to discuss adjusting my medication as needed. All in all, the team really made me feel at home and really assisted in my recovery process.
Have you heard about these kinds of treatments before? Do you think this kind of treatment would help your child?