Self-Harm Treatment Center in New Castle & Wilmington, DE

Learn more about self-harm treatment at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE

When an individual engages in certain forms of behavior, such as cutting or burning oneself, this is known as self-harm or self-injury. At MeadowWood Behavioral Health System in New Castle near W, we know that there are times in life when a person is faced with difficult or painful emotions and in an attempt to cope with these distressing emotions may turn to self-harm. Those who engage in self-mutilating behaviors will deliberately cause physical harm to themselves in order to try and find a sense of relief from their pain. Most individuals who engage in self-harm do not desire to end their life, but unfortunately, the risks associated with this type of unhealthy behavior include serious bodily injury and sometimes death. If you find yourself struggling with self-harm, the services offered at MeadowWood’s treatment clinic is designed to help you move past these unhealthy behaviors and learn more appropriate ways of coping with your emotions.

MeadowWood Behavioral Health System in New Castle, Deleware, settled on 11 private acres, is a premier provider of behavioral healthcare and chemical dependency services for adolescents, adults, and senior adults. In addition to offering specialized services that is tailored to meet the unique needs of each population we serve, our staff is passionate about what we do and is genuine in the care we provide. We strive to develop plans of success for each patient we treat and take great pride in the fact that we do what we say we are going to do. Furthermore, we believe that communication is key and we aim to be an open book. Our staff works together like a family and from the moment you come to us for care, you become part of our family. When you come to MeadowWood’s mental health treatment clinic, you will know that you have found the perfect place to start your recovery journey.

Helping a loved one get treatment for self-harm

While you may not realize it, there are a number of things that you can do to make a difference in the life of someone who self-harms. First off, one of the most important things you can do is be supportive to your loved one during this difficult time. It can be extremely hard for someone to stop self-harming and it takes a lot of hard work and time. Self-harm should be taken seriously and in order to support your loved one in a caring way, it is often useful to understand why people self-injure. In addition to taking the time to learn about self-harm, here are some other ways in which you can be supportive to your friend or family member who is self-harming:

• Let them know that you are there for them no matter what
• Offer them with a chance to talk about how they are feeling and try to empathize with what they are saying
• Let them be in control of any decisions regarding support and any plans to reduce or stop their self-harm
• Have an honest conversation with them about staying safe
• Set clear boundaries with your loved one about what kind of support you can offer them
• Find out what type of support is available to you in order to get support for your own feelings surrounding your loved one’s self-harm
• Encourage them to get help

Why consider treatment for self-harm at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE

The problem with continuing to rely on self-harm as a coping mechanism is that over time it will only lead to more problems. The sense of relief associated with self-harm is only short-lived and is then immediately replaced with remorse and guilt, which prevents an individual from learning more effective coping strategies. Without more productive ways of dealing with emotional pain, it puts an individual at risk for the development of other mental health conditions such as depression, substance use, and suicide. Furthermore, even if you don’t mean to, there is a high potential for seriously harming one’s self when engaging in self-injury, including an extremely deep cut or infected wound. Finally, having to live with such a big secret can lead to a lonely life.

When a person has come to rely on self-harm as a way to cope with any difficult feelings they encounter, it can be extremely difficult to get them to stop engaging in this mutilating behavior. Treatment for self-harm is based upon a person’s specific issues, including any specific mental health conditions that they may have. While there are different treatment options for self-harm, if an individual has severely injured themselves or repeatedly engages in self-harm an inpatient treatment option is usually recommended. This short-term hospitalization option can provide a safe environment and more intensive treatment, which is needed during this time of crisis. Throughout this program, all patients will continue to receive around-the-clock care and support from a highly qualified team of medical professionals. Additionally, through a number of therapeutic methods offered in an inpatient setting, patients can learn more adaptive coping skills that will allow them to continue a life free from self-harm.

MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital philosophy and benefits

At MeadowWood’s mental health clinic, we are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive behavioral healthcare and substance abuse services to everyone who is entrusted into our care. Our commitment extends to the family as a whole, and all of our endeavors are aimed at delivering the highest quality of treatment possible in the safest, most comfortable environment available. Our greatest strength is our compassion and our dedication to helping people in their time of need. We do not simply treat the symptoms that our patients present with, we treat the whole person. We focus on all of the little things, because we recognize that all of the little things together are what brings about a true picture of healing. In keeping open communication between clinical team members, our patients, and our patients’ families, we are able to provide exceptional customer service in an empathic manner, ensuring that the main focus always remains solely on our patients and helping them find true recovery that leads to lasting success.

Types of self-harm treatment offered at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE

At MeadowWood, we believe that each patient is unique, which is why we make sure to treat the person, not just his or her illness. Our treatment teams work closely with patients and their families in order to gain a full understanding of the patient’s presenting issues. By doing so, we are able to create individualized treatment plans for each and every patient that specifically addresses all of the concerns that he or she may have. Each individualized treatment plan draws upon the vast skill set of a physician-led, multidisciplinary team of clinical professionals, which includes psychiatrists, Master’s level therapists, care managers, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, recreation therapists, substance abuse counselors, medical consultants, and qualified mental health technicians.

The services offered here at MeadowWood include an adolescent behavioral program, an adult psychiatric program, a senior behavioral health program, a co-occurring diagnosis program, and medical detoxification programs. Before being admitted to one of our programs, all potential patients will complete a free, confidential mental health assessment, which is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All of our assessments are completed by a trained and highly qualified clinician, who will obtain all information needed to make a referral for the most appropriate level of care for the patient. For those patients who are admitted, the following treatment modalities may be included in their personal treatment plans, which will be determined based on their specific needs and abilities:

Medical detoxification: For those patients who come to us dependent on substances, medical detoxification will be the first step of the recovery process. This entire process is carefully monitored by our physicians and nursing staff. Once detox is complete, patients will be able to fully engage in a variety of therapeutic interventions.

Medication management: There is no medication that is specifically used to treat self-harm, but medication may be used to manage the symptoms of another mental health condition. All medication needs are determined on a case-by-case basis, and all patients at our treatment clinic meet with a psychiatrist daily for medication management in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of any medications that are prescribed, as well as to make any changes that may be necessary.

Group therapy: The main approach to treatment at MeadowWood’s treatment center is group-focused as we have learned that this type of intervention greatly helps patients understand that they are not alone in the challenges that they face. This knowledge assists patients in heightening their sense of self-worth as they come to understand that they do not need to feel isolated in their struggles. Furthermore, engaging in groups encourages patients to find healing in the act of expressing themselves, enhancing self-reliance that works to build their self-esteem. These group therapy sessions cover a vast array of topics, tailored to address issues that are specific to the patients participating in each group.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy sessions are offered to all patients on an as-needed basis. These sessions occur on a one-to-one basis with a patient’s therapist and are designed to be a time to address any concerns the patient may have, to discuss issues that he or she wishes to keep confidential, and to track one’s progress towards reaching his or her treatment goals.

Family sessions: At MeadowWood’s mental health clinic, we believe that family involvement in one’s treatment is instrumental in eliciting successful treatment outcomes. For this reason, all patients are able to engage in family sessions in order to help family members understand their loved one’s illness, to educate them on how they can best support their loved one, and to help facilitate open communication in order to create a healthy family dynamic.

Education: Keeping in mind the importance of a child’s education, our adolescent programming incorporates schooling into each patient’s treatment plan so that he or she does not fall behind academically while engaging in treatment for behavioral or emotional concerns. We employ certified teachers who, along with the other members of the adolescent’s treatment team, collaborate with the child’s home school, both in verbal and written form, pending releases of information provided by the child’s parent or guardian.

In addition to the previously mentioned interventions, other types of therapies that are incorporated into our patients’ treatment plans typically include:

• Recreational therapy
• Process groups
• Psycho-education on mental illness
• Positive coping skills education
• Substance abuse counseling
• Substance abuse education
• Pet therapy
• Reminiscent therapy (for our senior adult patients)
• Medication education
• Expressive therapy

Continuing care and levels of treatment for self-harm

At MeadowWood, it is our overall goal for each one of our patient to reach stabilization so that they are able to move on to a lower and less intensive level of care. For this reason, all aftercare planning begins at the time of admission. As soon as patients are admitted, their treatment team begins the process of preparing a plan for success in order to promote positive continuation of care once they are discharged from their inpatient stay.

At MeadowWood, we offer partial hospitalization for adults and senior adults that is designed to assist them in maintaining stabilization without requiring them to engage in the intensity of full inpatient hospitalization. This program provides structured programming between 8:30am and 2:30pm, allowing patients to return home at night. An intensive, interdisciplinary approach is used in this program, which helps to supplement the recovery process when traditional outpatient treatment is not enough or is not available. In addition, this program works at providing a transition for recent inpatient clients as they begin to integrate back into their everyday lives.

For our adolescent patients, as well as for our adult patients who do not require or who have already completed partial hospitalization, our staff will utilize the positive relationships that we have with care providers throughout the community, with whom coordination of services can optimally be managed once patients leave our treatment clinic.

Whatever your or your loved one’s needs may be, the caring and compassionate staff at MeadowWood Behavioral Health System will devote ourselves to helping you find the lasting recovery you deserve.