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MENTAL HEALTH AND TEENAGE

MATHINI S. V 1 & V. HEMAVATHY 2 1Lecturer, Sree Balaji College of Nursing, Bharath University, Chrompet, Chennai, India 2Principal, Sree Balaji College of Nursing, Bharath University, Chrompet, Chennai, India

ABSTRACT

Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease. By 2020, behavioral health disorders

will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability worldwide. 50% of those who will ever be diagnosed with a

mental disorder show signs of the disease by age 14, 75% by age 25. One in four people – about 450 million people

worldwide – suffer from mental disorders in both developed and developing countries, including:

• 60 million from bi-polar disorder; and

• 21 million from schizophrenia

Figure 1

KEYWORDS: Mental Illnesses, Mental Health, Teenagers

INTRODUCTION

Adolescence can be a challenge for parents. Your teen may at times be a source of frustration and exasperation,

not to mention financial stress. But these years also bring many, many moments of joy, pride, laughter and closeness.

Adolescence isn’t an easy time for parents, either. As children move through the various tumultuous transitions that

accompany adolescence — physical, emotional, hormonal, sexual, social, intellectual — the pressures and problems they

encounter can all too easily seem overwhelming. For many teenagers, these and other pressures can lead to one or more of

a variety of mental health disorders; all are matters of concern, and some are life-threatening.

KEY TIPS FOR PARENTS

• Keep Communication Constant, Open, and Honest: Your children should not only know that they can talk to

you about anything, you have to be committed to broaching topics of concern and do so openly. Talk about your

own experiences and fears when you were an adolescent. Let them know that they are not alone; nor are

their anxieties unique.

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• Understand that Mental Health Disorders are Treatable: Arm yourself with information about the most

common mental health disorders among adolescents; speak with your child’s paediatrician, your local health

department, your religious leader, and your child’s school representatives about what sorts of information are

available from them.

• Be Attentive to your Teen’s Behavior: Adolescence is, indeed, a time of transition and change, but severe,

dramatic, or abrupt changes in behavior can be strong indicators of serious mental health issues.

MENTAL HEALTH “RED FLAGS” PARENTS SHOULD BE ALERT F OR

• Excessive sleeping, beyond usual teenage fatigue, which could indicate depression or substance abuse; difficulty

in sleeping, insomnia, and other sleep disorders

• Loss of self-esteem

• Abandonment or loss of interest in favorite pastimes

• Unexpected and dramatic decline in academic performance

• Weight loss and loss of appetite, which could indicate an eating disorder

• Personality shifts and changes, such as aggressiveness and excess anger that are sharply out of character and could

indicate psychological, drug, or sexual problems

KEY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Depression

While all of us are subject to “the blues,” clinical depression is a serious medical condition requiring immediate

treatment. Watch for:

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• Changes in sleep patterns

• Excessive moodiness

• Eating habits that result in noticeable weight loss or gain

• Expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness or helplessness

• Paranoia and excessive secrecy

• Self-mutilation, or mention of hurting himself or herself

• Obsessive body-image concerns

• Excessive isolation

• Abandonment of friends and social groups

Eating Disorders

Body image concerns can become obsessions, resulting in startling weight loss, severely affecting the adolescent’s

health:

Figure 4

• Anorexia: Avoidance of food and noticeable changes in eating habits should trigger concern.

• Bulimia: Purging (forced vomiting) after eating - be alert for both dramatic weight loss without changes in eating

habits (which could, of course, indicate other health issues that require a doctor’s attention) and also for

immediate trips to the bathroom or other private spot after a meal.

Drug Abuse

In addition to peer pressure, mental health issues can lead adolescents not just to experiment with alcohol and

drugs, but also to use substances for “self-medication.” And in addition to being aware of the behavioral and physical signs

of alcohol and drug abuse — drug and alcohol paraphernalia or evidence, hangovers, slurred speech, etc. - parents should

also:

Figure 5

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• Be Alert for Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse: According to the AAP, prescription drug misuse by

adolescents is second only to marijuana and alcohol misuse. The most commonly abused prescription drugs

include Vicodin and Xanax.

• Know that over-the-Counter-Medications can be Abused as Well: Teenagers also frequently

abuse OTC cough and cold medications.

Concern about your adolescent’s mental health should first be addressed with your child - fostering open

communication goes a long way toward fostering sound adolescent mental health habits. If your concerns are serious,

discuss them with your paediatrician. Because so many mental health issues display physical manifestations - weight loss

being the most dramatic but not the only one - your paediatrician can offer both initial medical assessment and also refer

you to appropriate mental health organizations and professionals for counselling and treatment if called for.

TEENAGE NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

Mental illness includes depression; anxiety; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; borderline personality disorder;

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); attention-deficit disorder (ADD); attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

and many more disorders that can interfere with your teen’s daily life.In an effort to self-medicate - to control the

symptoms of the undiagnosed and untreated mental illness - a teen without help may turn to drugs, alcohol, or eating

disorders to feel better, to escape, to numb out, or to feel in control.

Below are some ways to tell if your teen may need mental health treatment.

• Mood Swings: How can you decipher a moody teen from a true set of mood swings that indicate mental illness?

You know your child better than anyone else. Trust that you can recognize a shift in mood that is out of character

for your son or daughter.

• Behavioral Changes: The same thing goes for your child’s behaviour of course behavioral choices change as

your teen gets older, but if your son or daughter is presenting as a different person to you, this may indicate a

mental illness or substance abuse.

• Consequences in School and among Friends: A mental illness can distract from concentration, which can affect

school performance and the ability to sustain relationships with peers.

• Physical Symptoms: Decreased energy, changes in eating and sleeping, frequent stomachaches, headaches, and

backaches, and neglect of personal appearance and hygiene (such as showering less often and not keeping up on

grooming) can be signs that mental health treatment is needed.

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• Self-Medicating: If you find any indicators of drug or alcohol use, self-harm, an eating disorder, or other forms of

escape, the link to mental illness may be direct. An effort to make oneself feel better can show a great need for

mental health treatment.

FACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH

Fact 1

Around 50% of the world's children and adolescents have mental disorders or problems

About half of mental disorders begin before the age of 14. Similar types of disorders are being reported across

cultures. Neuropsychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of worldwide disability in young people. Yet, regions of

the world with the highest percentage of population under the age of 19 have the poorest level of mental health resources.

Most low- and middle-income countries have only one child psychiatrist for every 1 to 4 million people.

Figure 7

Fact 2

Mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide

About 23% of all years lost because of disability is caused by mental and substance use disorders.

Figure 8

Fact 3

About 800 000 people commit suicide every year

Over 800 000 people die due to suicide every year and suicide is the second leading cause of death in

15-29-year-olds. There are indications that for each adult who died of suicide there may have been more than 20 others

attempting suicide. 75% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

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Fact 4

Mental disorders are important risk factors for other diseases, as well as unintentional and intentional injury

Mental disorders increase the risk of getting ill from other diseases such as HIV, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and

vice-versa.

Figure 10

Fact 5

Stigma and discrimination against patients and families prevent people from seeking mental health care

Misunderstanding and stigma surrounding mental ill health are widespread. Despite the existence of effective

treatments for mental disorders, there is a belief that they are untreatable or that people with mental disorders are difficult,

not intelligent, or incapable of making decisions. This stigma can lead to abuse, rejection and isolation and exclude people

from health care or support. Within the health system, people are too often treated in institutions which resemble human

warehouses rather than places of healing.

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REFERENCES

1. Brooks, T. L., Harris, S. K., Thrall, J. S., et al. (2002). Association of adolescent risk behavior with mental health

symptoms in high school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 240-246.

2. Resnick, M. D. (2000). Protection, resiliency, and youth development. Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art

Reviews, 11(1), 157-164.

3. National Institute of Mental Health http://www.nami.org

4. Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACH): www.attach.org

5. World Health Organization. (2004). Promoting Mental Health: Concepts, Emerging Evidence, Practice

(Summary Report). Geneva, Switzerland: Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Author.