BOISE, Idaho — As the weather gets colder and the sun sets earlier, some people experience changes in their mood.
S.A.D. stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is seasonal depression or depression during the winter time. Imagine by Northpoint Recovery is offering services for youth who may need them, especially during winter break.
Executive Vice President of Operations for Imagine by Northpoint Erica Lopez says, “Statistically speaking, that’s always when mental health symptoms rise for youth and adults but establishing that support system or that program that venue whatever can help you is really important.”
Imagine by Northpoint Recovery Idaho is a full day time treatment program for ages 12 through 17. They have two major programs, an intensive outpatient program and their weekly day treatment partial hospitalization program.
“It's almost like capturing what you would in a school day but highly focused on acute mental health needs," Lopez said. "So depression, any kinds of risks, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, panic attacks.”
Andria Watson is the Market Director at Imagine she explains the use for each room: “This room would be for a process group or we have a group called seek and safety which is our more important group every day we just check on them, see how they're doing, see if they're struggling with anything.”
The P.H. or, partial hospitalization program, implements mental health needs, but also emphasizes schooling simultaneously. Once they finish the program, they begin the intensive outpatient program or I.O.P.
“They finish five or six weeks in our day treatment program and then IOP gets them back into community back into the schools but gives them six hours a week from four to six on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays to come back and check in with us see how they're doing engaging in the community,” says Watson.
Imagine's services are open during this winter, allowing teens to talk to others who may relate to their experiences.
“They're teens," Watson continues. "They’d rather be with their friends, but then they get in there and realize this is a place where I can build a community. I feel more understood, I'm not alone with what's going on with my mental health, so I have that support and when they get out of here, they’re just thankful.”
