It is not uncommon today for teenagers to struggle with mental disorders. As such, teens and mental health is an issue that continues to garner attention from parents, teachers, and mental health professionals.
Common mental health disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, or borderline personality disorder. Let’s explore a few of the most common mental disorders that affect teens and mental health.
Anxiety
Anxiety occurs as a result of a teenager’s inability to cope with stressful situations. These situations can occur at their job, school, or at home. Since teenagers are still learning to handle stressful situations, it can lead to increased emotional and mental struggles.
When considering teens and mental health, it is important to view anxiety from their perspective instead of ‘how they should be handling it’. Teenagers are not yet equipped to deal with real-world problems as well as adults. Anxiety is a teenager’s reaction to many of the things that we face every day.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
While ADHD is common in children, it can carry over into later years and cause numerous problems in adult life. The primary symptom of ADHD is the inability to stay attentive or focused. In addition, a person may exhibit hyperactive or impulsive behavior.
Most teens do not realize that they have ADHD. Therefore, they may go years without diagnosis or treatment. ADHD has been linked to substance abuse or reckless behavior. There is a wide range of treatments and management strategies available for ADHD.
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder can be disruptive for both a teenager and those around them. The condition is often included in discussions about teens and mental health due to its destructive elements. If a teenager has a borderline personality, they struggle to have a healthy sense of who they are and controlling their emotions.
A teenager may have a difficult time handling day to day activities at home or school. They don’t know how to process their feelings and have even more difficulty maintaining healthy relationships with friends or family.
Depression
One of the most common issues related to teens and mental health is depression. Sadly, neither the teen nor their parent can easily identify when they suffer from depression. The reason for this is that teenagers often go through highs and lows during their emotional and mental development.
For this reason, parents may dismiss their behavior as ‘they’re just being a teen’. They may say things like, “Just snap out of it.” However, depression is common with teens and needs to be diagnosed and treated like any other mental health disorder. Parents should be proactive in getting help for the teenager.
Learn More About Teens and Mental Health
Do you have questions about teens and mental health? If so, there is help available at a mental health treatment center in North Carolina. To find out more about how to get started with treatment for mental disorders or addiction, call Foothills at Red Oak Center at 866.300.5275.
