How Does Teen Mental Health Cause Addiction?

Mental health and addiction are often related. People with poor mental health may choose to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Although the illicit substances may provide temporary relief, they do more harm than good in the long run.

Teens are particularly susceptible to developing an addiction due to mental health issues. They are dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety considering peer pressure, a need to get good grades, and an impending transition into adulthood. They are exposed to environments like parties, where drugs are readily available.

When addiction occurs during adolescence, it’s important to treat it as soon as possible before it gets out of hand. This article will answer the question, Does teen mental health cause addiction?, and it will let you know what you can do when dependency issues occur.

How Does Teen Mental Health Cause Addiction

What Mental Issues Commonly Impact Teens?

Teens are most likely to be dealing with anxiety, mood, attention, and behavior disorders. These include: 

  • Anxiety: Anxiety can occur due to the pressure teens are under to conform to peer pressure, get good grades, and transition to adulthood. Teens may suffer from various types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or a panic disorder. 
  • Depression: Depression often goes hand in hand with anxiety. It can occur if teens feel they are not living up to their potential. It can be brought on by teasing, bullying, and poor grades. 
  • ADHD: ADHD commonly affects teens and children. Symptoms may diminish in adulthood. It is characterized by an inability to focus, restlessness, lack of concentration, difficulty sleeping, and mood swings. 
  • Disruptive Behavior Disorders: These include conduct disorder, which is characterized by behavior that violates age-appropriate societal norms, and oppositional-defiant disorder, which involves hostile, defiant behavior. 
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: This type of disorder involves a person engaging in compulsive behavior to manage obsessive thoughts. 
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Posttraumatic stress disorder can develop if the teen was exposed to trauma at some point in their lives. It can lead to flashbacks, nightmares, and general feelings of fear. 
  • Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating feelings of soaring highs and bottomless lows that can be periodic or ongoing.

How Does Teen Mental Health Cause Addiction Issues?

Many teens don’t know they are suffering from a mental health disorder. They may be feeling emotions that are beyond their control, but they may not understand why they are happening.

If they don’t have a healthy home life, they may be too embarrassed to talk about their feelings. They may feel like they will get made fun of by their relatives and peers. 

During this time, they may be introduced to drugs and alcohol. When they experiment with these illicit substances, they may feel relief from their emotions. 

For example, if they feel depressed, they may find that certain drugs have a euphoric effect. If they feel nervous, alcohol may loosen them up. 

However, they will also experience severely depressed states when the drug wears off. This will make matters worse in the long run. If they continue using the drug, an addiction will form, giving them two disorders to deal with. 

How to Find Teen Dual Diagnosis in Florida

There are many approaches to take when treating teen addiction, but dual diagnosis is the most effective. It addresses both the addiction and the underlying cause, giving teens the tools they need to manage their condition. It has been proven to yield high success rates in long-term recovery.

If you are looking for a teen mental health and addiction program in South Florida that provides a dual diagnosis approach, the Adolescent Wellness Academy is highly recommended.

Teen Mental Health Treatment in South Florida

Teen Mental Health Treatment in South Florida

At Adolescent Wellness Academy, a teen mental health treatment center located in South Florida, we understand the complexities and challenges of guiding our loved ones, especially adolescents, toward recovery from mental health challenges.

Recognizing the delicate nature of this journey, we are committed to offering compassionate, specialized care even in situations where individuals may be hesitant to seek help.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive environment that fosters healing and growth through our tailored programs:

  • Day Therapeutic Program: A structured daytime treatment offering therapeutic support and education that integrates seamlessly with the adolescent’s daily life.
  • After-School Program: An innovative approach that provides therapeutic activities and supports post-school hours, allowing teens to continue their education while receiving the care they need.

When you join our therapy or afterschool programs, you enter a caring and non-judgmental community. This support network involves teens, their families, their peers, and our team.

Our team of clinicians, alumni, and other parents is here to offer invaluable assistance. Parent Support Groups (PSG) and assessments ensure that the support is tailored to each family’s needs. Contact us today for more information about teen mental health at 1-866-548-8677 or visit our locations in Miami-Dade and Broward.

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Ornella Barille - Therapist (Davie)

Ornella is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern and holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and has extensive experience working with diverse populations, including children, families, and young adults. Ornella has worked in both K-12 schools and at the college level, where she has developed a strong commitment to helping adolescents thrive by supporting their personal and academic growth and empowering them to reach their full potential.

Her therapeutic approach centers on creating a safe and welcoming environment where clients can feel comfortable exploring their needs and expressing themselves authentically. Ornella utilizes a blend of mindfulness, existential therapy, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to empower clients in navigating life’s challenges.

Ornella’s compassionate approach fosters self-awareness and encourages clients to build effective coping strategies to achieve their therapeutic goals.

Jamie Namer - Therapist (Davie)

Jamie specializes in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) guiding individuals and families toward healthier, more fulfilling lives. With a focus on positivity, self-growth, and holistic healing, Jamie integrates spiritual perspectives and deep empathy into the therapeutic process. Using solution-based methods and emotionally focused therapy, Jamie helps clients navigate past trauma, enhance self-discovery, and strengthen relationships.

Jamie’s approach combines therapeutic techniques with mind-body healing practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and visualization. Experienced in working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and groups, Jamie specializes in addressing issues like anxiety, grief, self-confidence, burnout, family dynamics, depression, PTSD, and life transitions. The goal is to promote overall well-being and support clients in living a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Maria Angelica Mejia – Clinical Director (Davie)

Dr. Maria Angelica Mejia’s therapeutic approach is rooted in empathy, resilience-building, and collaboration. As the Clinical Director for Adolescent Wellness Academy, she is dedicated to supporting high-risk teens in navigating trauma, emotional distress, and life’s challenges with a holistic and trauma-informed lens. Dr. Mejia specializes in working with adolescents facing issues such as suicide risk, self-harm, anxiety, depression, and family conflict, utilizing techniques like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and strength-based therapy. With extensive experience in community mental health, private practice, and clinical supervision, Dr. Mejia has a proven track record of empowering teens to overcome obstacles and thrive. She holds a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy bringing a depth of knowledge and compassion to her leadership role.

Kimberly Geller

Kimberly Geller - Primary Therapist (Davie)

Kimberly is a compassionate and dedicated therapist with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida International University. Kimberly creates a nurturing and secure environment where clients can freely explore their emotions and embark on their journey toward healing and growth. Kimberly specializes in client-centered approaches that helps tailor her therapeutic methods to meet unique needs and goals. By fostering a collaborative therapeutic relationship, she empowers clients to develop effective coping skills and achieve meaningful progress in their mental health journey. Kimberly ensures that each person she works with feels understood and valued throughout their therapeutic process.

Zainub Fatta - Therapist (Davie)

Zainub holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University and has extensive experience treating a wide range of mental health issues in adults, teens, and children. She specializes in treating diverse mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, trauma, bipolar disorder, social anxiety, anger management, etc. She also has a lot of experience treating addiction and substance abuse problems within various treatment centers. Zainub views mental health from a systemic perspective, emphasizing the significance of how one’s environment and childhood impacts them, which is why she also specializes in family therapy and couples therapy, when it comes to achieving holistic well-being. Passionate about empowering individuals to find their voice, she considers it a privilege to listen to their vulnerable stories and provide the support they need. Her therapeutic approach focuses on uplifting clients by building their confidence and challenging them to break old, negative patterns of thinking and behavior.

Krystine Garay

Krystine Garay – Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Krystine Garay is a licensed mental health counselor, marriage family therapist, and certified telehealth practitioner. Raised in Miami, Florida, and a member of the Hispanic community, she provides services in both English and Spanish. With five years of experience, she has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, focusing on domestic violence, substance abuse, family conflicts, co-occurring disorders, and mental health issues.
Krystine holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida International University and a master’s degree with dual specializations in mental health and marriage and family counseling from Barry University. She is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in health psychology from Carlos Albizu University.
Her clinical experience includes rotations at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where she assisted children with co-occurring disorders using mindfulness exercises, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and dialectical-behavioral techniques.
Krystine believes in the power of personal growth and progress, and she is dedicated to fostering positive change in her clients’ lives.

Alyssa Mencucci – Therapist (Miami)

Alyssa is a dedicated master’s level clinician specializing in providing compassionate
therapy for adolescents and children facing severe mental health challenges. With a
deep understanding of the developmental stages and psychological needs of
adolescents and children, Alyssa offers expertise in addressing trauma-related issues,
guiding individuals through the complexities of grief, managing anxiety and depression,
navigating personality disorders, and supporting those dealing with PTSD. Alyssa uses
evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, DBT, play therapy,
and trauma-focused interventions to create a safe and nurturing environment for
healing. Alyssa believes in a client-centered approach, tailoring therapy to meet the
unique needs and circumstances of each individual. She creates a safe and nurturing
environment where adolescents and children can explore their emotions, develop
coping skills, and embark on a journey of healing and growth.

Dr. Jacqueline Pablos – Clinical Director

Vulnerability and connection are at the heart of Dr. Pablos’ therapeutic approach. As the
Clinical Director for Adolescent Wellness Academy, she aims to create a safe space for
clients to embrace their emotions and express their needs in healthier ways. Dr. Pablos
specializes in treating depression, anxiety, body image issues, bullying, eating
disorders, and self-harm behaviors using techniques like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and
ACT.
With extensive training in hospitals and counseling centers, Dr. Pablos has a strong
background in helping teens and adults with co-occurring mental and physical health
disorders. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, with specialized training
at institutions like Florida International University, Jackson Memorial Hospital,
Clementine Monte Nido, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Kimberly

Kimberly Carlesi – Therapist (Miami)

Kimberly, a dedicated therapist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling from Florida International University, specializes in supporting individuals
with eating disorders, trauma, and substance abuse. She creates a safe, nurturing
environment for her clients’ healing journeys, drawing from diverse therapeutic
modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. With a
focus on trust and collaboration, Kimberly empowers clients through personalized
interventions, fostering self-awareness and resilience.