Adolescents With Chronic Pain: Info & Resources For Support During Potential Mental Health Crises
by Kristy Bastone-Baker, LCMHCA, NCC, C-AAIS, MEd, MA, RYT-200
March 20h, 2023
Trigger Warning: This article mentions suicide and suicidality. Please proceed with caution and take breaks if you need to. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to be connected with the Suicide & Crisis Hotline.
Teens With Chronic Pain Face Additional Challenges
Chronic pain is very common in youth and affects about one-quarter of children and adolescents. Adolescent pain is multidimensional and touches all parts of a teen's life. Pain can affect mood, independence, socialization, appetite, sleep, energy level, and school functioning. It can also bring physical limitations and require accommodations. Anxiety and depression are also common among children and teens dealing with chronic pain.
Chronic Pain Affects Performance
Adolescents struggling with chronic pain often have poor school attendance and avoidance, reduced concentration, and difficulty completing schoolwork. Frequent diagnoses for adolescents with chronic pain include chronic headaches, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS), juvenile fibromyalgia, chronic widespread pain, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional abdominal pain.
The Answers to Chronic Pain In Adolescents Are Not Clear
Frustratingly, chronic pain is less well understood in children and adolescents compared to adults (and it still has a long way to go with adults, too). Additionally, chronic pain sufferers (particularly women and people of color) face additional challenges. These challenges include a lack of access to medical care and potential stigma. All of these factors compound treatment and up the ante on finding appropriate interventions and care.
Here is a good article with infographics for you and your teen:
Chronic Pain: A Poorly Understood Experience in Young People
Source: Chronic Pain: A Poorly Understood Experience in Young People
Suicide is A Leading Cause of Death for Teens Struggling With Chronic Pain
A heartbreaking fact is that suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 15–19 years. Unfortunately, chronic pain compounds this risk. Research has indicated that chronic pain approximately doubles adolescents' suicide risk(!). Therefore, in the chronic pain community, learning how to identify, assess, and mitigate suicide risk is key (especially among children and adolescents).
Risk Factors
Suicidal risk factors include genetic disposition, inadequate sleep, obesity, alcohol or drug use, as well as socioeconomic status, dysfunctional family dynamics, lack of psychosocial skills, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and lack of coping skills.
Early identification of these risk factors is more likely to lead to better pain control and therefore reduce stress on the teen and their loved ones. Primary interventions for chronic pain in adolescents include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based interventions, and medical treatments to address the underlying cause(s).
Teens in Crisis May Need Mental Health, Medical, & Pain Management Support
If in crisis, or contemplating suicide, chronic pain and illness sufferers may not only need mental health support but also conventional medical support and pain management, too. Therefore, it is worth looking at medical as well as mental health facilities. That said, if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, including suicidal ideation and/or behavior, please call 988 or go to the nearest Emergency Room.
When considering chronic pain counseling, chronic illness counseling, or other treatments, reach out to your teen's care team. This includes medical and mental health professionals you are already working with. If your child's pain is severe, not being well managed, they are experiencing new or worsening symptoms, or their symptoms lack a clear cause or diagnosis, please see a medical professional ASAP.
You might also be considering a mental health facility (again, please talk to your child's doctor first). Generally, finding care close to home is preferred so youth can maintain relationships with family and loved ones. However, when navigating chronic pain and mental health care, there is no simple answer for this. Linking with your child's care team and looking for resources can be helpful.
List of Treatment Facilities in NC & Beyond
Below is a list of treatment facilities for children and adolescents with chronic pain who are experiencing a mental health crisis, with emphasis given to the Triangle area of North Carolina. Because space is generally limited, you might have to call multiple facilities to find care.
Unfortunately, financial and insurance considerations could limit your choices even further; however, it's worth reaching out and seeing what your options are. The worst thing they can say is no, and they might offer additional recommendations. Working with a chronic pain and illness counselor like the ones at Chronic Hope Counseling can help you and your child navigate this difficult time.
Disclaimer: This is not an all-inclusive list, but is rather meant to be a "living document" that can be added to as we find more. Chronic Hope does not endorse nor recommend one facility over another.
Chronic Pain & Illness and Mental Health Treatment for Children and Adolescents
As of March 2023, North Carolina does not appear to have a facility that specializes in both chronic pain & illness AND mental health for children and adolescents. There are facilities that treat both in other parts of the U.S., though. Those are listed towards the bottom.
Chronic Pain Treatment Facilities in/near the Triangle area of NC:
Duke Health Pediatric Neurologist who Specializes in Headaches
https://www.dukehealth.org/find-doctors-physicians/klaus-georg-erich-werner-md-phd
Durham, NC
Duke Health Pediatric Rheumatology
https://www.dukehealth.org/pediatric-treatments/pediatric-rheumatology
and
https://pediatrics.duke.edu/divisions/rheumatology/patient-care
Durham, NC
Duke Health Pain Medicine Clinic
https://www.dukehealth.org/locations/duke-pain-medicine-clinic
Durham, NC
UNC Health Pediatric Pain Management
https://www.uncchildrens.org/uncmc/unc-childrens/care-treatment/anesthesiology/pain-management/
Chapel Hill, NC
Midtown Pain & Spine
(Uncertain if they treat children and adolescents; however, it may be worth a call to check):
Raleigh, NC
Neurology & Pain Management Center
Primarily treat adults, but they do have occasional adolescent migraine patients
https://www.neurologyandpain.org/
Locations in Lillington, Benson, Sanford, Morrisville, Fayetteville, and Aberdeen
Wake Spine
(Uncertain if they treat children and adolescents; however, it may be worth a call to check):
Locations in Cary, Garner, Raleigh, North Raleigh, Greensboro, Greenville, Winston Salem, and Fayetteville
Mental Health Treatment Facilities for Children & Adolescents (w/Focus on the Triangle area of NC):
Facilities with both residential as well as outpatient programs
Holly Hill:
https://hollyhillhospital.com/
Raleigh, NC
Triangle Springs:
Raleigh, NC
Alexander Youth Network
https://www.alexanderyouthnetwork.org/service-locations/
Residential treatment programs in Charlotte and Greensboro, NC
Additional programs and services offered throughout NC
Asheville Academy Therapeutic Boarding School
Black Mountain, NC
Brynn Marr Hospital
https://brynnmarr.org/programs-services/
Jacksonville, NC
Equinox
https://equinoxrtc.com/b/residential-treatment-center/north-carolina/
Hendersonville, NC
New Hope Treatment Center
https://www.newhopetreatment.com/services/new-hope-carolinas/
Has a team of nurses on site 24/7 to assess, treat, and/or make referrals for medical care
Rock Hill, SC
SUWS of the Carolinas
https://www.suwscarolinas.com/
Old Fort, NC
Solstice East
Asheville, NC
Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy Camps
https://trailscarolina.com/wilderness-therapy-programs/
Lake Toxaway, NC
Facilities with Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOPs)
Cary Behavioral Health:
https://carybehavioralhealth.com/
Cary, NC
Not-so-local Resources that Appear to Treat Both Chronic Pain & Mental Health:
Boston University's Behavioral Medicine Program for Chronic Pain
https://www.bu.edu/card/get-help/behavioral-medicine-program-treating-chronic-pain/
Boston, MA
Children's Hospital of Colorado Chronic Pain Clinic
Colorado Springs, CO
Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania Pain Management Program
https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/pain-management-program
Philadelphia, PA
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Pain Management
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/p/pain
Cincinnati, OH
Johns Hopkins Children's Pediatric Pain Center
Baltimore, MD
Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center
Rochester, MN
Neuroscience Institute
*Applied for accreditation with the Joint Commission and has not been approved yet
West Palm Beach, FL
Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego Inpatient Chronic Pain Program
https://www.rchsd.org/programs-services/chronic-pain-programs/inpatient-chronic-pain-program/
San Diego, CA
Any More Recommendations?
Do you have more resources, providers, facilities, or treatment centers to recommend? If so, please comment below and we will look into them!
Begin Chronic Pain Counseling in Raleigh, NC
At Chronic Hope Counseling, we understand that living with chronic pain can be a difficult and lonely journey. Our team of skilled and compassionate therapists has first-hand experience with chronic pain and all the hardships that come along with it. We are here to provide you with support and guidance in a nonjudgmental environment so that you can learn to cope with and manage your chronic pain. Follow the steps below to get started on the path toward living your best life.
Get to know our team of caring therapists.
Book an appointment on our convenient contact form.
Begin your journey to emotional well-being.
Other Counseling Services Offered at Chronic Hope Counseling in North Carolina
In addition to Chronic Pain Counseling, we also offer a variety of other services that are geared toward people who exist within the world of chronic illness and pain. These include Chronic Illness Counseling, Chronic Fatigue Counseling, Long Covid Counseling, Ehlers Danlos Counseling, Family and Relationship Counseling as well as Caregiver Counseling and Support. If you are hurting, we see you and care. Reach out to us today!