July 9, 2025: Flower Mound, TX - Bricolage Behavioral Health is a local teen treatment facility that focuses on mental health and substance use disorders. Their recent blog investigates the neurobiology of recovery and the benefits teens get when attending a quality treatment program. Through science-backed practices and whole-person approaches, Bricolage offers a safe space for teens to receive compassionate care for their mental health.
“You’re probably more familiar with the word ‘neuroscience,’ but neuroscience and neurobiology are the same thing. It’s the study of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and every other nerve in your body.
“We focus specifically on how the different parts of the nervous system influence thoughts, feelings, and behavior. There’s a wealth of information to guide how we treat the kids in our care and help them overcome their mental health symptoms. Our emphasis on neurobiological factors makes Bricolage unique,” the blog states.
Despite popular belief, no single gene has been found to cause mental health conditions. While some symptoms may appear amongst immediate family members, research shows that environmental factors play a far greater role than genetics. Though genes may increase susceptibility, they do not dictate outcomes. Like a family history of lung cancer, genetic predispositions are better seen as signals to take preventive steps, not as destiny.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in the brain that people are usually referring to when they mention a chemical imbalance. Research has previously stated that these imbalances are the causes of mental health symptoms; however, these have been disproved repeatedly. Because no two brains are the same, there is no standard to compare people’s neurotransmitters or any way of measuring the level of chemicals in someone’s brain.
This poses the question of why medication that claims to correct chemical imbalances in the brain still works for some people. There is no straightforward answer, and more research is conducted on this every day. The placebo effect and belief that medications can improve mental health are very powerful and are responsible for some of this. Antidepressants and other medications aren’t just sugar pills and do have tangible effects on the brain.
“The amazing thing is that our brains are always changing, no matter how old we are. They adjust to our environment and experiences to help us function to the best of our ability in every moment. By the time you finish reading this page, your brain will be different than it was before! The brain’s ability to change is what we call ‘neuroplasticity.’
“We teach the kids we work with about this early in our program. They never have to feel stuck with a diagnosis or mental health symptoms forever because their brains can change! It’s also easier for teens than for adults because their brains have had less time to learn the world and solidify beliefs, behaviors, and thought patterns. Their brains change more easily. They are less ‘set in their ways.’ This can be a source of hope, too, both for children and their parents,” the article continues.
The brain operates by creating neuropathways for everyday processes. These serve as highways for messages to get to different areas without expending too much energy. Neuropathways are the pathways that lead to behaviors, and the more often a pathway is used, the harder it becomes to change. Breaking bad habits, restructuring negative thought patterns, and correcting harmful behavior can be a time-consuming and energy-draining process. The brain is used to utilizing the neuropathways involved in those processes, so that it resists changing course. It takes even more effort to erase those dysfunctional neuropathways altogether.
Bricolage Behavioral Health offers mental health and substance use disorder treatment for adolescents. Their program options include partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services, all including daily group therapy. The goal is not to find a diagnosis but to find the true “whys” behind each teen’s symptoms.
To learn more about Bricolage Behavioral Health, call 469-968-5700 or visit their website.
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For more information about Bricolage Behavioral Health, contact the company here:
Bricolage Behavioral Health
Bricolage Behavioral Health
469-968-5700
information@bricolagebehavioral.com
3204 Long Prairie Road
Suite A
Flower Mound, TX 75022
