Philadelphia’s Leading Oppositional Defiant Disorder Hospital

Learn about ODD treatment at Belmont Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia, PA

Oppositional defiant disorder, abbreviated as ODD, is a behavioral condition that may be diagnosed after an individual displays a pattern of culturally unusual defiance, hostility, argumentativeness, or defiance of authority. Individuals who have this disorder may be likely to become suddenly angry, lose their temper, display outbursts of rage, disobey rules or laws, or get into fights or arguments. Oppositional defiant disorder causes a severe disruption in the individual’s life, as well as in the lives of that individual’s loved ones and peers. Without treatment, these behaviors continue despite negative consequences.

At Belmont Behavioral Health System, an ODD treatment center in Philadelphia, our experienced treatment professionals understand the impact that ODD has on an individual’s life. We offer comprehensive treatment that is designed to help gently modify these behaviors with the goal of helping each individual have better relationships and a more peaceful life. If you believe that you or a loved one may show symptoms of ODD, the dedicated treatment center at our hospital can help.

Helping a loved one get treatment for ODD

It can be difficult to cope with a loved one who has oppositional defiant disorder. You may find yourself overwhelmed, frustrated, or stressed. However, there are some steps you can take to help your loved one and yourself begin on a track of recovery. Consider the following steps to help someone in your life:

• Learn as much as possible about oppositional defiant disorder. Look for reputable websites, consider books on the subject if you have time, or simply call and speak with a treatment professional about this situation.
• Research potential treatment options for ODD, and select a few treatment centers that match the needs of your loved one.
• Talk with your loved one. Although he or she may initially not feel a need for treatment, share your concerns lovingly and non-confrontationally, and perhaps share your findings about ODD. Try to avoid arguments and keep the conversation with your loved one as productive as possible. Individuals with ODD are not likely to respond well to ultimatums; it may take several small conversations until your loved one eventually chooses to receive treatment for him or herself.
• Once your loved one decides to accept treatment, make it as easy as possible for your loved one to follow through with the plan. Arrange a schedule or transportation to treatment, if possible. Consider needs that your loved one may have while in treatment, such as someone to check the mail or take care of pets or children. These simple acts will show your loved one that you support his or her decision to accept an opportunity for wellness.
• Participate in any family programming, family days, or family counseling that your loved one’s treatment center may offer.

Treatment for any mental health concern is not usually straightforward or brief. You may see your loved one experience setbacks as well as successes. Take good care of yourself so that you can be rested, comfortable, and available to offer appropriate support as needed.

Why consider treatment for ODD at Belmont Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia, PA

Oppositional defiant disorder may create a number of difficulties for an individual. A host of negative outcomes may arise in response to ODD behaviors. Without treatment, ODD will significantly impair the relationships and opportunities for the individual who struggles with this condition. The symptoms of this disorder make healthy friendships and healthy romantic relationships nearly impossible to maintain. It can also strongly affect one’s performance in the workplace, classroom, and community. Because of these problems, financial stability may be difficult, and the individual may miss out on opportunities that could enrich his or her life.

While the effects of oppositional defiant disorder may lead to considerable stress, comprehensive treatment at Belmont Behavioral Health System, a hospital for ODD treatment in Philadelphia, can help increase functionality and begin to bring peace to the lives of those who are affected by this disorder.

Types of ODD treatment offered at Belmont Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia, PA

Our treatment center is a psychiatric hospital that provides care for children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients who are struggling with psychiatric concerns, substance abuse, and co-occurring mental health problems. Each year, we care for approximately 3500 individuals in our inpatient treatment center alone.

Founded in 1937 as a 60-bed psychiatric hospital, we have grown to exceed the dreams of our founders, and we pride ourselves on being established members of our community in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Our campus is situated on 13 acres of land in a park-like setting that provides a serene environment in which to help individuals overcome mental health difficulties.

Treatment at our hospital for ODD is based on a foundation of individualized care. We recognize that each person who comes to heal with us brings a unique set of strengths, needs, and treatment goals. We are committed to developing care plans that are tailored for each person who struggles with oppositional defiant disorder. At our treatment center, no two treatment plans are the same, and our treatment is so successful that 92% of individuals who receive inpatient care are discharged home, instead of to other levels of care, after treatment has ended.

Our hospital offers a wide range of interventions across various levels of care. These interventions include the following:

Medically monitored detoxification: At our treatment center, we recognize that individuals with psychiatric disorders may also struggle with substance abuse issues that can interfere with their ability to manage the symptoms of ODD. As a result, we provide detoxification services that allow individuals to safely withdraw from substances of abuse under the watchful eye of our physicians and nursing team. While we are unable to provide detox services for individuals using methadone or Suboxone, we are able to maintain those treatments for individuals who are already taking these medications.

Medication management: Many individuals who are struggling with mental health disorders, including oppositional defiant disorder, benefit from including medications in their treatment regimen. At our treatment center, every patient meets with a member of our medical team for an initial medication evaluation and ongoing daily medication monitoring.

Individual therapy: Patients at our hospital can make substantial progress in their treatment for ODD when they have a regular opportunity to process emotions, triumphs, and setbacks within the safety of a one-on-one therapeutic relationship. To support this progress, we provide regular individual therapy for every patient in our care. The frequency of sessions varies based on the patient’s age, unit, and need, as determined through collaboration between the patient and his or her treatment team. Patients meet with social services providers, case managers, rehab service providers, pastoral counselors, and other trainees and clinicians as recommended by the treatment team. Children and adolescents have daily individual therapy with members of their treatment team.

Group therapy: In addition to individual therapy, group therapy forms the backbone of treatment for ODD at our hospital. Led by members of our social services/case management, rehab, and nursing teams, group sessions are offered daily and provide a chance for patients to learn and practice coping skills while supporting and being supported by their peers. Our groups, provided at least twice daily, are focused on recovery and resilience and operate in modalities such as music therapy, leisure, art therapy, peer support, occupational therapy, talk therapy, psychoeducation, and creative expression. Groups cover a wide range of topics, some of which include:

• Medication education
• 12-Steps
• Spirituality
• Cognitive-behavioral skills and interventions
• Stages of Change
• Trauma-focused interventions
• Managing psychosis/illness management
• Substance abuse
• ADLs (Activities of Daily Living)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy skills
• Building strengths and resilience
• Meditation and mindfulness
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Values and goals
• Self-esteem
• Healthy boundaries
• Wellness and Recovery Action Planning
• Behavioral activation (ceramics, ice cream social, exercise/yoga, art, music, activities/games, team building/challenge course, etc.)
• AM/PM Community Meeting
• AA/NA support groups
• Self-care
• Peer-run groups (motivational speaker series & Face to Face Friday)
• Aftercare

In addition to these groups, patients are invited to attend monthly alumni support meetings that give them an opportunity to speak with alumni from our ODD treatment center and explore methods for achieving long-term success in treatment.

Family therapy: Our more than 80 years of experience treating mental illnesses like oppositional defiant disorder has shown us that one person’s mental illness often affects his or her entire family. In addition, family support can sometimes make the difference between relapse and long-term success. As a result, we emphasize family involvement and therapy throughout a patient’s hospitalization. The teams at our treatment center work with parents, grandparents, and other caregivers in order to develop the most comprehensive treatment solutions that will best enable our patients to thrive after treatment. Our case managers meet with family members, schools, community agencies, and other organizations to develop coordinated discharge plans. On our child and adolescent units, family sessions can also include development and utilization of crisis and safety planning, development and utilization of coping and communications skills, exploration of the family dynamic, and ways to improve interpersonal skills within that dynamic.

Experiential therapy: Individual and group therapies are of enormous benefit, but we have found that our patients also benefit from involving more of their bodies and minds in their recovery process. Experiential therapies use embodiment and sensory experiences to deepen individuals’ engagement in treatment, increase empowerment, and promote a sense of safety. Some of these interventions include:

• Art therapy
• Music therapy
• Role playing
• Guided imagery

Education: For children and adolescents at our hospital, we recognize the importance of ensuring continuity in their education so that they are not forced to choose between mental health care and academic success. Children and adolescents attend two hours of schooling per day, receiving instruction that is specially tailored around their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The social worker works closely with the child or adolescent and the Pennsylvania Child and Adolescent Service Program (CASSP) throughout the patient’s length of stay to ensure all services are planned collaboratively with the patient, his or her family, and all agencies involved in the child or adolescent’s life.

Other interventions: As a leading provider of mental healthcare in Pennsylvania, our treatment center is equipped to offer a number of other interventions to those in our care. Some of these include:

• Nutrition consultation: All individuals in our care have access to our staff dietitian as needed.
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): Individuals who are seeking alternatives to medication, or those for whom medications are not working, can elect to receive ECT for symptoms including depression, psychosis, catatonia, and mania. This form of treatment is quite safe and completely voluntary. This process generally involves a series of treatments two or three times a week for six to twelve treatments. In addition, maintenance treatments are often provided on an outpatient basis for the prevention of symptom relapse. Services are provided by certified ECT physicians, one of whom is our hospital’s Medical Director. The ECT physicians oversee ECT-trained nursing staff and an external group of certified registered nurse anesthetists.
• Internal medicine: We provide internal medicine services to all of our patients. Our admissions process includes a physical exam, and consultation with an internal medicine physician is available throughout the course of a hospital stay.
• Motivational speakers: We recognize that it can be superbly helpful to hear from other individuals who have learned to manage mental illness, and we bring in volunteer speakers, many of whom are trained as certified peer specialists and who have lived with mental illness and addiction, to offer personal insights into the challenges and successes of the recovery journey.
• Sensory programming (STAR Program): Individuals’ bodies can be powerful allies in the pursuit of improved mental health, so our STAR program (Sensory Tool Awareness and Routines) is used to foster an increased sense of safety, self-awareness, and control over patients’ lives by teaching tools which help to balance and regulate their nervous systems.
• Autism services: Our on-staff behavior specialist is certified in autism studies and provides consultation on behavioral interventions for individuals with autism and families of those individuals.
• Welcoming committee/Active treatment: As a part of our commitment to providing individually tailored treatment, we recognize that some individuals can benefit from interventions outside of groups, and we have developed resources that further allow patients to take treatment into their own hands. Within this intervention, we give patients a brief assessment and self-help materials to allow them to continue their growth outside of groups. We are also developing materials for individuals whose dominant language is not English.

Because recovery from ODD is a journey, we recognize that inpatient care is only the beginning for many individuals. As such, our treatment teams, and especially our case workers, work with schools, community agencies, and other organizations to develop coordinated and integrated treatment and aftercare plans. We begin planning for discharge from day one of treatment so that our patients leave our hospital into the welcoming arms of community-based support and external resources, maximizing patients’ abilities to continue the progress they made in treatment.

We put forth every effort to ensure that patients at our treatment center in Philadelphia can be successful in their recovery journeys. If you or a loved one is struggling with oppositional defiant disorder, please do not hesitate to contact us. Today could be the first day of a brighter future.