Adolescence is a difficult time. Our emotions are strong, and so are our fears and anxieties. That’s how things are for everybody, right?
Yes and no. Of course there are things that are hard about being a teenager no matter who you are. But some people experience it worse. For some people, the anxiety, fear, and hard times in a teen’s life are more than simply a result of hormones. For some people, real health problems (such as an imbalance in brain chemistry) play a role.
Especially as a parent, it is hard to see a mental health problem in a child, or to understand the problem if you see one. Here’s what you should know.
Teenagers are susceptible to mental health problems
Mental sickness can be difficult for some people to understand. Very hard to see mental sickness by the way we can see physical sickness. Mental sickness is unquestionably physiological, but we also know that factors from the outside world can affect how our brains work, so it isn’t just brain chemistry working in a vacuum.
It’s hard to say if teenagers at all times suffer from high levels of mental sickness. It is feasible, but to date, we don’t have sufficiently advanced understanding of mental health to make precise measurements.
What we do know is that, now, about 20 percent youth suffering from some kind of mental sickness. That includes serious cases (where the individual’s daily life is significantly disrupted) and fewer serious cases. And if that seems high, consider this: the same number of adults (20 percent) also suffer from mental sickness.
Common mental health problems with teenagers and youngsters including depression and anxiety (which is also the most common problem amongst adults), in addition to mood disorders and phobias, to name a few.
Identify mental health problems in your teen
One of the scary things about mental health problems is the undeniable fact that they’re so hard to detect. However, there are some things parents can look for to spot potential mental health problems in their child.
That depressive symptoms including loss of excitement, loss of energy, apathy, memory loss, and even physical pain. Look for signs that your child may be losing interest in the things they once loved. Look for loss of appetite, inability to make decisions, and preoccupation with dying or dying. All of this stuff can be signs of depression.
Look at your child’s behavior at home and at school. If they misbehave and get into trouble with the school authorities or with the law, it could be a sign of a mental health problem.
Get help for mental health problems with your teen
If you think something is going on with your teen, the smartest thing you can do is contact a professional. Mental health is complex, but there are talented people who practice for years to offer you the best choices and treatments. Your child can greatly benefit from speech therapy, medicine, or visits to inpatient programs, explain the experts at Polaris Los Angeles Youth Center.
Helping your teen is not easy, but if you can convince them to go to a professional, you will be doing them an enormous favor. If they do not want to go, you still must do it yourself: therapy can provide you with valuable strategies for setting boundaries and helping your child.
Teen mental health issues can be very difficult, but your teen is not alone. Many others have experienced similar problems, and more in the future. Meanwhile, today, there are trained and talented mental health professionals who will do anything they can to help you and your child.
