Feeling Broken and Needing Help
Nick was a wreck prior to seeking mental health treatment at Pasadena Villa’s The Villa Orlando. He was sad and depressed and just felt broken. Although the relationships with his family and friends were going well, he was still trying to escape by going to bed every night at 6:30 pm just to get away. And he couldn’t figure out why. Nick also quick his job because it all became too much. The ultimate breaking point was Nick’s suicide attempt, after which his mom started looking for treatment options for him. She found The Villa Orlando and was relieved. Nick’s family was one hundred percent behind his decision to enter treatment as they just wanted to him to get better.
Prior to admitting to The Villa Orlando, Nick had visited Florida and had enjoyed it. He was also extremely ready for treatment, which gave him hope for his future. The staff he met during the admissions process into the residential treatment program were helpful and made him feel at ease during what can be a scary process. However, when Nick first started treatment, he promised himself that he wouldn’t speak to anyone for at least a week. But once he started attending group therapy and journaling, he began to engage with the staff as well as his peers. Additionally, having downtime helped Nick recharge his personal battery so he was more open to doing the work. According to Nick, another helpful aspect of the residential treatment program was the structure it provided.
Realizing What He Needs to Move Forward
Becoming an alumnus of The Villa Orlando means a lot to Nick as treatment helped him realize that he needs to fix some relationships with his family, stay off drugs, socialize with peers, and distance himself from negative and harmful thoughts. One of his experiences during treatment that stands out the most and will always stick with him is an interaction he had with a peer in the program. After getting to know each other, Nick and his peer realized how much they had in common, which was only the beginning when it came to opening up and sharing his experiences. According to Nick, “I’m thankful for her, but I especially want to thank my therapist and the staff for not giving up on me. I’m graduating to the partial hospitalization program (PHP) and I could not be happier.”