Teenage Mental Health

Four million children and adolescents in this country suffer from a serious mental disorder that causes significant functional impairments at home, at school and with peers. Of children ages 9 to 17, 21 percent have a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder that causes at least minimal impairment. Half of all lifetime cases of mental disorders begin by age 14. An untreated mental disorder can lead to a more severe, more difficult to treat illness and to the development of co-occurring mental illnesses. In any given year, only 20 percent of children with mental disorders are identified and receive mental health services.

PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD is a condition in which an individual experiences tremendous stress or anxiety after witnessing or being engaged in a traumatic event. Any physical or psychological trauma that leaves the individual feeling powerless and out of control may lead to PTSD. A common cause is childhood abuse. About 7.5 percent of Americans will experience PTSD in their lifetime.

Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name "manic depression," is a mental disorder that is characterized by serious mood swings. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating “highs” (what clinicians call “mania“) and “lows” (also known as depression). Both the manic and depressive periods can be brief, from just a few hours to a few days, or longer, lasting up to several weeks or even months. Up to one-third of the 3.4 million children and adolescents with depression in the United States may actually be experiencing the early onset of bipolar disorder.

Anxiety Anxiety is the most common form of mental illness in the United States. Physical symptoms of anxiety include shortness of breath, shaking, nausea, headache, rapid heartbeat, and dizzy spells. 8% of teens have an anxiety disorder, with symptoms commonly emerging around age 6. 80% of teenagers who suffer from anxiety do not receive any type of treatment.

Schizophrenia People with schizophrenia may hear voices other people don't hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. This can terrify people with the illness and make them withdrawn or extremely agitated. Schizophrenia usually forms when a person enters their early adult years. Suicide is the number one leading cause for premature deaths for people with Schizophrenia. Around 3.2 million people are diagnosed and around 1.5 will be diagnosed this following year.

Depression Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how one feels, thinks and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. About 11% of adolescents have a depressive disorder by age 18 As many as 8.3% of teens suffer depression for at least a year at a time, compared to about 5.3 percent of the general population. About 5 percent of teens are suffering from major depression at any one time.

OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive ‑ compulsive (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions). Stat: OCD affects as many as 3% of the general population, roughly one million of whom are children and adolescents. These statistics translate into three to five youngsters with OCD per average-sized elementary school and as many as twenty in a large urban high school.

Anorexia/Bulimia 91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting. 22% dieted “often” or “always.” Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.

Treatments include psychotherapy and medication; support groups are helpful on the path to recovery. The first step to help yourself is to recognize the symptoms and ask for help. Realize that people do care and that you are never alone. There is a group of people who support you and love you; there are other teens who relate to you. None of it is your fault; you are a victim. But you must fight back to regain control. Don’t suffer in silence! Speak up and get the help you need. *Teen Helpline: *