If you’re raising a teen in Colorado Springs or Monument, you’ve probably noticed that the pressure on young people is heavier than ever. Teens today navigate a constant barrage of pressure from school, sports, extracurricular activities, peers, and online groups. It’s no surprise that many teens feel like they are drowning and need help.
Adolescent psychiatry is a critical need right now. More and more teens are struggling to navigate these challenging years successfully. Our community needs more available options for teenagers and their families.
At Colorado Psychiatry Solutions, we built our adolescent psychiatry program to help struggling teens with their mental health. Teens need access to specialized care with proven treatments, and it has to fit around their schedule to be minimally disruptive to other aspects of their lives.
Why the Need for Teenage Psychiatry is so Urgent
Data from the Colorado Springs area tell a sobering story. El Paso County has lost young people to suicide each of the past several years – a painful reminder that getting the right care at the right time can be literally life saving. In 2022, El Paso County had seven deaths by suicide (ages 0–18), underscoring the importance of prevention and early intervention.
Across Colorado we have seen some progress: the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey found fewer teens reported persistent sadness or suicidal thoughts compared with 2021. The trend is encouraging, but it still leaves too many teens struggling, and the absolute numbers remain high. 28 percent of youth reported poor mental health and 11 percent reported seriously considering suicide.
Challenges Colorado Springs Teens Face with Mental Health
In our psychiatry clinic, we see teenagers struggling with several mental health issues, including:
- Depression. Depression goes beyond typical teenage moodiness. It is a persistent state of sadness and isolation. Signs of depression include losing interest in activities they used to enjoy, sleep or appetite changes, and a negative change in school grades or attendance.
- Anxiety. Anxiety encompasses a range of behaviors, from social anxiety to test panic to generalized worry that never shuts off. Anxiety may be focused internally (constantly worrying about how I’m perceived by others) or externally (constantly worrying about harm to friends or loved ones).
- Eating concerns or self-harming. Punishing or harming the body can be a way to cope with unresolved negative feelings. This behavior provides a temporary relief and a false sense of being in control, while in reality the opposite is true.
- Peer pressure, burnout, and overload. Teens today are constantly bombarded with peer pressure and the need to be “always on”. This frequently leads to burnout, where teens can’t process all the stimuli (both in-person and online), causing them to shut down.
Our adolescent psychiatry program at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions helps teens deal with these issues and more. We provide comprehensive adolescent psychiatric assessments, medication management when appropriate, and close collaboration with therapists, parents, and schools to ensure appropriate care plans and treatment. We offer care across four locations in Colorado Springs and Monument, making it easy for parents to find a location close to school or home – whichever is most convenient.
TMS: A New Option for Treating Teen Depression
One of the most important advances for treating teen depression is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive, medication-free treatment for depression. In 2024, the FDA cleared TMS for treating depression in adolescents ages 15–21. (TMS has already been in use since 2008 for treating depression in adults).
We are pleased to offer TMS as a depression treatment option for adolescents ages 15 and older in Colorado Springs and Monument. TMS has some unique characteristics that make it an especially attractive treatment for youth and parents alike:
- No systemic side effects. TMS is a medical device that directly targets the brain with precise magnetic pulses. It is not an antidepressant or similar medication and is not associated with any systemic side effects, which makes it easier to tolerate for patients and less worrisome for parents. Each treatment session lasts about 20–25 minutes, and teens can return to school or sports immediately after.
- Strong safety profile. Clinical data in adolescents support both safety and effectiveness of TMS, which is why FDA clearance was granted for this age group.
- Often covered by insurance. Many insurers now cover TMS for teens 15 and older; plans that have approved TMS for adolescents include TRICARE West, Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield/Anthem, and Cigna
How our Adolescent Psychiatry Program Works at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions
- We are patient-centered and age-appropriate. We talk with teens, not at them. We adolescent patients from age 14–18 in our program, and our treatment plans are appropriate for each patient’s age, circumstances, and environment.
- We are collaborative by default. With consent, we coordinate with parents/guardians, therapists, pediatricians, and school counselors to keep treatment aligned and practical.
- Treatments are innovative and evidence-based. Alongside traditional psychiatry, we offer TMS and other advanced options when appropriate. These treatments have been shown to deliver the best results and provide the best chances for full recovery.
Finding Help for Teens in Colorado Springs
It’s important to understand that you don’t have to wait until things get really bad before seeking help. There is no minimum threshold for needing mental health help. If your teen is withdrawing from friends, losing interest in activities, struggling to get to school, or talking about feeling hopeless, that’s your cue to get a professional evaluation.
Adolescent psychiatry is an important segment of psychiatry that addresses a critical need at a critical time, and we’re committed to providing the very best care that our Colorado Springs families deserve. If you’re looking for help for your teen (age 14 and older), please contact us today.
Colorado Psychiatry Solutions serves teens and families from four convenient locations across Colorado Springs and Monument. Our clinics are easily accessible from across the Colorado Springs area, making it easy to find care near you.
To get started, please schedule a consultation at Colorado Psychiatry Solutions or call us today at 719-622-6522.
