MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital is the trusted provider of treatment for adults and adolescents suffering from suicidal ideation in New Castle & Wilmington, Delaware. With the area’s top mental health experts, a multidisciplinary approach, and a blend of behavioral, experiential, and medication-based therapies, we craft unique treatment plans to start our patients on their road to recovery.
Suicidal Ideation Treatment
Learn more about suicidal ideation treatment at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE
When an individual suffers from chronic thoughts of wanting to end his or her own life, it can quickly interfere with his or her ability to function appropriately on a daily basis. The presence of such thoughts is known as suicidal ideation and can rapidly consume seemingly all aspects of a person’s life. For this reason, MeadowWood Behavioral Health System in New Castle, Deleware offers specialized treatment options that are designed to help individuals confront these tumultuous thoughts and develop the coping skills needed to overcome them. Due to the pervasive, intrusive, and intensive nature of such thoughts, the caring and compassionate staff at MeadowWood’s treatment clinic realizes the sensitivity that individuals suffering from suicidal ideation require as they fight the battle to be rid of them. But this is not a battle that you or your loved one has to fight alone; let MeadowWood help.
Settled on 11 private acres, MeadowWood Behavioral Health System is a premier provider of behavioral healthcare and chemical dependency services for adolescents, adults, and senior adults. Offering specialized treatment options that are tailored to meet the unique needs of each population that we serve, we are proud of the compassionate care that we are able to afford to everyone who enters our doors. Our staff is passionate about what we do and is genuine in the care and concern that we offer. We strive to develop plans of success for the patients we treat and we take great pride in the fact that we do what we say we are going to do. We believe that communication is key and we aim to be an open book. Our staff works together like a family; everyone helps everyone. And from the moment you come to us for care, you become part of our family. If you or a loved one is plagued by the presence of suicidal ideation, and feel like there is nowhere to turn, look no further than MeadowWood’s treatment center. We will do everything in our power to help you get back on track to living the happy, healthy life that you deserve to be living.
How to Help a Loved One
Helping a loved one get treatment for suicidal ideation
When individuals struggle with suicidal ideation, they are not typically inclined to ask for help. Whether it is because they are ashamed of their thoughts or because they do not want to worry those who care about them, people usually fight these thoughts privately. As a result, it can be difficult to know when a loved one is consumed by such devastating thoughts. However, there are some signs that may be present that could indicate that an individual is suffering from suicidal ideation, including the following:
- Engaging in self-harming behavior
- Making statements such as, “It’s not worth it anymore”
- Verbalizing feelings of worthlessness, such as, “I can’t do anything right”
- Beginning to give away personal items
- Writing and/or talking about death
- Isolating oneself from family and friends
- Drop in academic or occupational performance
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness about the future
- Demonstrating a sudden sense of calm or emotional detachment
Some individuals may go as far as to make actual comments about suicide itself. Unfortunately, such comments are often overlooked as people tend to not take them seriously. However, it is imperative that such comments be taken seriously. While individuals with suicidal ideation typically do not follow through on their thoughts, the line between thought and action should be crossed at any time, so any signs that may be present should be viewed as immediately concerning.
If you have noticed any of the aforementioned symptoms being displayed by your loved one, it would be beneficial to discuss the option of getting treatment with him or her. Research various treatment options that may best meet his or her needs and remain a constant source of support and encouragement as your loved one begins on the road to healing.
Why Consider Treatment
Why consider treatment for suicidal ideation at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE
While it may begin as fleeting thoughts about ending one’s own life, when left untreated, such ideation can quickly escalate into more detailed plans; plans that may, one day, be acted upon. When such thoughts are present, people may find that it has become difficult to think about, or focus on, anything else. Work and school performance may decline as individuals ruminate on thoughts of suicide to the extent that they are unable to concentrate on the tasks they are required to do. Social interaction may drastically decrease as these individuals begin to isolate themselves from friends and loved ones, completely consumed by the thoughts that haunt them. Some people may even find themselves turning to drugs and/or alcohol as a means of attempting to block out such thoughts or to numb themselves from the emotional turmoil that is causing them so much distress. Overcoming suicidal ideation can be difficult, but, fortunately, there are many viable treatment options available that can help people gain control over their destructive thought patterns.
Inpatient treatment can, in many circumstances, be one of the most beneficial ways for individuals suffering from suicidal ideation to receive the intensive treatment that they need in order to heal. First and foremost, by entering into a treatment center, people are walking into a safe environment where they are monitored 24/7, therefore eliminating their potential to act on their devastating thoughts. Furthermore, while in a mental health center, individuals have access to mental health professionals at any time of the day or not should a crisis arise, or should they feel the need to talk to someone about the thoughts they are having. Additionally, the majority of inpatient clinics are highly group focused, which means that patients benefit from engaging in group therapy with other individuals who may be facing the same challenges that they are. This helps to increase self-esteem while also encouraging individuals by showing them that they are not alone in their struggles. Through a combination of various therapeutic interventions, mental health treatment clinics can help individuals develop the tools they need to not only overcome their suicidal ideation, but also learn the skills necessary for dealing with future stresses.
Our Philosophy
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 Treatment
Types of suicidal ideation treatment offered at MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital in New Castle, DE
At MeadowWood Behavioral Health System, we believe that each patient is unique, which is why we focus on treating 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 issues they are facing. By doing so, we are being afforded the ability to create fully individualized treatment plans for each and every patient that specifically addresses all of the concerns that he or she may have. These individualized treatment plans draw upon the vast skills set of a physician-led, multidisciplinary team of clinical professionals that include 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 inpatient 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. Free, confidential mental health assessments are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week whereupon highly trained and qualified clinicians obtain pertinent information which is then reviewed with one of our physicians. Upon that consultation, a recommendation for the most appropriate level of care will be offered based on the presenting needs and concerns of the patient.
Based on the identified needs of the patients, the most appropriate treatment option will be determined. For those patients who are admitted, the following treatment modalities may be included into their plans for care, of 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 may be the first step of the recovery process if drugs or alcohol are present in their bodies. This process is carefully monitored by our physicians and nursing staff. Once detox is complete, patients will begin engaging in a variety of therapeutic interventions.
Medication management: In most instances, psychotropic medications are implemented in order to help treat the mental health conditions of which suicidal ideation is often symptomatic. However, all medication needs are determined on a case-by-case basis. All patients in all of our units 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: Our approach to treatment at MeadowWood is heavily group-focused as we have learned that this type of intervention greatly helps out patients understand that they are not alone in the challenges that they face. This knowledge in and of itself 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. Engaging in groups also 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, 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 maintain open communication in order to create a healthy family dynamic.
Education: Keeping in mind the importance of a child’s education, our adolescent services incorporate 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:
- Medication education
- Process groups
- Psycho-education on mental illness
- Positive coping skills education
- Expressive therapy
- Pet therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Substance abuse counseling
- Substance abuse education
- Reminiscent therapy (for our senior adult patients)
Continuing Care
Continuing care and levels of treatment for suicidal ideation
The main goal that we have for our patients when they come to MeadowWood’s mental health clinic is to help them stabilize so that they can move on to a lower, 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 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 center.
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 and maintain true, lasting recovery and healing.