From the time she was 13, Bill Spotts' daughter began behaving differently and more dangerously. Smoking. Drinking, Drugs. Cutting herself. Suicidal ideation. And more.

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On several occasions, the Spotts had their daughter hospitalized when her thoughts of suicide became severe. But she was always released after only 7-14 days, never enough to get to the root of her problem. She needed more intensive treatment, but at the time, admittance into a Maryland residential treatment facility was nearly impossible.

Nexus is committed to involving families in the treatment process. That includes providing information and resources to help you better understand your child's mental health and family needs during this time.

Many parents don't notice the signs of their child's drug or alcohol abuse right away. Often times, a child has developed a serious problem before parents begin to suspect anything is wrong. Results from Partnership for a Drug-Free America's Attitude Tracking Study reveal that only 14% of surveyed parents acknowledged the possibility of their teen trying marijuana, while 42% of the polled teens admitted to having smoked marijuana. Teens hide their alcohol and drug use from their parents, and parents seem to deny their child is using drugs and alcohol.

Intentional self-injury is one of the leading reasons American teens and young adults end up in the emergency room. Self-harm can be done in a number of ways, the most common being cutting, burning, hitting, picking at the skin, pulling out hair, biting, and carving. The following list can help you identify self-harming behaviors in your child:

All humans experience anger, and your child is no different. A child's brain often cannot process their emotions, especially during a stressful time. That can result in an emotional or behavioral outburst. Parents typically resort to one of two reactions when their child is acting out.

Chances are, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is part of your child's treatment, but what exactly is CBT and what does it mean for your child? CBT is a common form of treatment that focuses on examining the relationship between your child's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It helps youth become aware of their inaccurate or negative thinking so they can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a healthier, more effective way.

The sad truth is that parents of children with mental health issues often do not receive the emotional support they need from family and friends. In fact, the phone may fall silent, invitations may disappear, and conversation can become trivial. It's possible friends or family may even attack you with implied or outright blame for your child's emotional or behavioral problems.

Mental health issues in youth and teens often present themselves as difficulties in school, and, if left untreated, can result in school drop out. The U.S. Department of Education reports that approximately 50% of students, ages 14 and older, with mental health problems, eventually drop out of high school.

It can be a confusing distinction for parents: when does disciple become abuse? Each state has its own definition of what constitutes child abuse, but a story in the Boston Globe states that generally, “any intentional physical contact that causes bodily injury or extreme physical pain to a child can be prosecuted as a criminal act.”