How do we identify whether a teenager is moody or is it a sign of mental illness?
Mental health problems are common and more than 50 % of mental health problems start before the age of 14 years. However, they remain undetected in the majority of the cases. Depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is the third leading cause of death in people aged 15–19 years. Mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10–19 years.
Many factors have an impact on the well-being and mental health of adolescents. Violence, poverty, stigma, exclusion, and living in humanitarian and fragile settings can increase the risk of developing mental health problems. The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
Building socioemotional skills in children and adolescents and providing them with psychosocial support in schools and other community settings can help promote good mental health. Programs to help strengthen the ties between adolescents and their families and improve the quality of home environments are also important. If problems arise, they should be detected and timely managed by competent and caring health workers.
.The most common mental illnesses in teens are:
- Generalized anxiety—Excessive worry about everyday matters
- Social phobias—Severe feelings of self-consciousness and insecurity in social settings
- Depression—Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, and/or emptiness
Warning signs of mental illness in teens vary depending on the condition
- a decline in grades,
- Changes in social habits including pulling away from school, friends,
- Loss of interest in activities that was enjoyed participating in in the past.
- Generalized anxiety,
- phobias, and depression
- Feeling restless, wound up, or on edge
- Becoming fatigued easily
- Struggling with concentration
- Irritability
- Feeling muscle tension
- Feelings of helplessness , hopelessness , worthiness
- Struggling with sleep, such as difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep, or not feeling well-rested
- Social anxiety disorder symptoms include: anxiety being around others or talking to others
- Experiencing extreme self-consciousness and fear of humiliation, embarrassment, rejection, or offending people
- Worrying about being judged
- Feeling anxious days or even weeks ahead of a social event
- Avoiding places where other people will be
- Struggling to make and keep friends
- Blushing, sweating, or trembling around others
Depression
Eating Disorders
