Being a teen comes with so many challenges. It’s not easy to grow up.
It’s no surprise that many adolescents face difficulties as they transition from childhood to adulthood, and they may react by acting out.
Because of their development stage, which affects their ability to make safe and sound decisions and their need to rely on others for support, adolescents as a group are vulnerable to mental health issues.
They may believe that their family and peers have unreasonable expectations of them, leading to stress and feelings of helplessness.
Parents sometimes find it difficult to admit that their teen may be suffering from a mental illness. However, ignoring the issue is unlikely to solve it.
In fact, if your teen does not receive treatment, his or her mental health is likely to deteriorate. Your teen may be tempted to self-medicate if they do not receive proper treatment.
They may turn to drugs, alcohol, food, or other unhealthy habits to mask their discomfort. Teens with mental illness issues are especially vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma, educational difficulties, risky behaviours, physical illness, and human rights violations.
Reasons for an adolescent mental health illness
1. Hormones
Teens go through a lot of changes in their behaviour and temperament. Hormonal imbalances, on the other hand, can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and mood disorders. This also happens when there is a slow growth of the parts in the neural system which leads to changes in thinking, behaviour and mood. Some mental health problems also have a genetic component. A teen’s risk of developing a mental health problem is increased if one or both of his or her biological parents have one.
2. Environment
Environmental factors can also influence a teen’s mental health. Traumatic events, such as a near-death experience or a history of abuse, can make your teen more vulnerable.
3. Stress
Frequent illness, withdrawal from friends, family, and or activities, changes in eating and sleeping habits, anger, irritability, and expressing hopelessness are all signs of stress overload in adolescents. Withdrawal, aggression, risky behaviour, and substance abuse have all been linked to teen stress.
Common mental health problems in adolescents
The following are the most common mental health problem occurring among teenagers:
- ADHD
- Self-harm
- Mood Problems
- Major Depression
- Conduct Disorder
- Anxiety Disorder
- Eating Problems
Teens can also develop psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia or substance use disorders such as alcoholism or opioid addiction.
Treatment for mental health issues among teenagers
See your doc- You should first consult with your child’s paediatrician or family physician. Their familiarity with your child’s medical history can speed up and simplify the diagnosis process.
Identifying and addressing stressors- such as a lack of sleep, skipping meals, or a general lack of a daily routine.
Counselling- It is frequently combined with medication.
Mental illness can be avoided. However, because they are in denial, most parents do not bring their children in until after the problems have been going on for months. It’s essential for teenagers to have healthy adults with whom they can discuss issues in their lives, and they’re often more willing to talk to someone other than their parents. As a result, make sure your teen has other people with whom he or she can communicate.
