As a sixteen-year-old, I am well aware that mental health issues among teenagers are day by day becoming a concerning issue. I recently discovered that one in every seven 10- to 19-year-olds worldwide suffers from a mental condition, accounting for 13% of the global disease burden in this age range. However, the harsh reality is that it is frequently overlooked and not discussed much. Therefore, in today's blog, I'll lift the veil on mental health difficulties by going over the many mental illnesses that teens typically experience, their impact, and several ways to deal with these problems.
What are mental health problems?
In many ways, mental health is similar to physical health; everyone has it, and we must take care of it. Being able to think, feel, and behave freely to live your life is a sign of good mental health. However, if you have poor mental health, you may find that the ways you often think, feel, or react become difficult, if not impossible, to manage. This can feel as unpleasant as, if not worse than, a physical disease. If you become mentally unfit, you may believe it is a sign of weakness or that you are "losing your mind." Moreover, these worries are frequently reinforced by the harsh (and frequently unrealistic) portrayal of people with mental health disorders on social media. This may prevent you from discussing your difficulties or obtaining treatment. Due to which your feelings of loneliness and distress may aggravate. However, mental health issues are a common human experience. Whether it's children, teenagers, adults, or even elderly people, everyone at some point in their lives has dealt with this issue, and some have even overcome it.
Risk Factors
Adolescence is a period in which young individuals struggle to fit in, both socially and emotionally. They are especially sensitive to bullying, social exclusion, family dysfunction, school troubles, and trauma, all of which can lead to a mental health problem. Many studies have linked loneliness and isolation from family or peers as an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health problems. In 2021, The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that social media has also been a leading risk factor in leading to mental health problems amoungst teens - Adolescents worry about getting "likes" on their posts and also compare their physical appearance or life situations to those of others, which results in anxiety, despair, and even suicidal ideation. Moreover, the anonymity of social media has made vicious, hate-filled cyberbullying even more common. According to research, adolescents who are cyberbullied are roughly twice as likely as those who are not to engage in self-harm, including suicide attempts.
https://www.australiawidefirstaid.com.au/resources/mental-health-issues-in-young-people
Types of Mental Health Problems
Among adolescents, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders are the leading causes of sickness and disability. I will go through each mental problem listed above briefly.
Depression: Depression is a common but serious emotional disorder. It occurs in approximately 13 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds. It mainly impacts how a person feels, thinks, and goes about daily tasks like sleeping, eating, and working. If a person suffers from depression, they will have a low interest in or low mood in their daily activities. Low mood only becomes depression if these feelings of numbness and sadness extend for a prolonged period to such an extent that it affects your daily activities. It is important to note that there is not one type of depression but numerous others, such as Persistent depressive disorder (PDD), Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), Antenatal depression, Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and more
Anxiety Disorder: Anxiety is a common occurrence in life, such as being worried about job, school, etc. But Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, involve more than just brief worry or terror. The anxiety does not go away in people who have an anxiety disorder, and it can worsen with time. Symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as work, school, and relationships. If your symptoms match a certain set of medical criteria, you may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. However, it is possible to have anxiety disorders without a formal diagnosis.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental diseases. It occurs in approximately nine percent of 13- to 18-year-olds. It is typically diagnosed in childhood and often extends into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention or impulsive behaviors.
Eating Disorders: Eating disorders are defined by abnormal eating habits, which occur usually due to concerns about body weight and shape. Several medical tests are taken on your weight, blood, and body mass index (BMI) before a proper diagnosis is made. It affects around 3% of 13- to 18-year-olds. Key note is that while an eating problem is defined as any uncomfortable relationship with food, not every eating issue will be classified as a disorder.
Early Warning Signs of Mental Disorders
Mental disease symptoms and signs can vary based on the diagnosis, circumstances, and other variables. However, there are early warning signs that can prevent mental illness from becoming full-blown. Learning about growing symptoms or early warning signals CAN help minimize the severity of an illness as well as disruptions in one's quality of life and functions. It may even be able to postpone or prevent a significant mental disorder entirely.
Examples of early warning signs -
Changes in sleep or appetite: significant changes in sleep and appetite, as well as a loss in personal care swings:
Mood swings -sudden dramatic changes in moods or sad feelings, as well as increased anger.
Withdrawal: Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
Drop in functioning - An uncommon drop in functioning, such as abandoning sports, failing school, or having difficulties doing familiar duties, at school, work, or social activities.
Problems with attention, memory, or logical reasoning and speech that are difficult to explain
Sensitivity heightened - increased sensitivity to sights, sounds, scents, or touch; avoidance of overstimulating situations.
Apathy - lack of initiative or willingness to participate in any activity.
Disconnectedness - A vague sense of being separated from oneself or one's surroundings; a sense of unreality.
Unusual conduct - Strange, unusual, or unique behavior.
Changes in school or work - Increased absenteeism, poor performance, difficulties with classmates and coworkers.
Treatment
There are various types of treatment for mental health issues, with each treatment tailored to a distinctive mental health issue. More common ones include -
Psychotherapy or counseling (known as talk therapy) : It is one of the most widely used therapies for mental health issues. The main difference between “counseling" is that it's a short-term treatment that focuses on a specific symptom or circumstance, while "psychotherapy" is a longer-term treatment that aims to obtain a better understanding of someone's difficulties. Both treatments include discussing your difficulties with a mental health professional. In addition, there is an educational component, as well as a focus on relaxation exercises, coping skills, and stress management. There are many different types of talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy are two examples.
Prescription Medication : The medicines given for mental illnesses alter brain chemicals involved in emotions and cognition patterns. It’s important to note that these medicines do not cure psychiatric or medical illnesses; they just help to improve the symptoms. They can improve the effectiveness of other treatments, such as counseling. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleeping pills, and mood stabilizers (including lithium) fall under prescription medication
Other Therapies : One example is physical activity, such as exercise or yoga. Another example is art and creative therapy, in which you express yourself creatively. This includes the use of art, music, movement, or literature to express inner thoughts with a trained therapist
There are many teens in the world suffering from mental health issues, and this is only going to increase if we don't do anything. If you see anyone struggling or showing early warning signs encourage them to share their feelings with other to unload the burden they have. Ensure to acknowledge their feelings instead of disproving it (as doing so may worsen the condition). Make sure to support them unconditionally, and help them sort through their issue. The life of a teen is hectic and ever changing (take it from me!) , so standing by them in these hard times will definitely help them in the long run. Just always remember this quote by Naomi Osaka - "Its OK not to be Ok, and its OK to talk about it"
Written by Tarleen
Anxiety and panic attacks. (n.d.). Mind. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
Depression. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression
familydoctor.org. (2023). Different types of mental health treatment. familydoctor.org. https://familydoctor.org/different-types-mental-health-treatment/
Mental health for adolescents. (n.d.). HHS Office of Population Affairs. https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health/mental-health-adolescents#:~:text=Common%20mental%20health%20disorders%20in%20adolescence%20include%20those%20related%20to,deficit%2Dhyperactivity%2C%20and%20eating.
Warning signs of mental illness. (n.d.). https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/warning-signs-of-mental-illness
World Health Organization: WHO. (2021). Mental health of adolescents. www.who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
Comments