Adolescent mental disorders are becoming more common in the United States. One out of every five adolescents has a unique kind of mental disease. Mental health concerns can impact many areas of an adolescent’s lifestyle, from academic achievement to socializing and relationship building, everything can be under threat. Good news is, mental disorders are curable.
It might be challenging to recognize the signs of adolescent mental disorders. Most teenagers are emotional and moody throughout this period of significant mental and physical changes. Therefore, a mental disorder in adolescents is characterized by significantly more dramatic behavioral and emotional disturbances than usual.
The following are some of the most common mental disorders in adolescents today:
1. Anxiety Issues
Anxiety disorders, one of the most typical mental health conditions affecting adolescents, create considerable discomfort and concern that affects daily life. Anxiety disorder is classified into many types, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
2. ADHD Disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a brain illness that often occurs in early adolescence or childhood, makes focusing and concentrating very challenging. Adolescents with ADHD are more restless and impulsive.
3. Conduct Disorder
It is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects adolescents and children exclusively. Destructive and highly aggressive behavior against other pets, people, or belonging characterizes conduct disorder. Because of their disruptive and violent behavior, many adolescents with conduct disorder fail to follow laws and mostly avoid areas where rules are followed, such as avoiding school, fleeing from the house, etc.
4. Depression.
It is a mental illness that most usually shows itself during adolescence. It is more than simply having a bad mood now and then; it is defined as a continuous feeling of sorrow and complete disinterest in previously cherished things. Many types of depression impact adolescents and teenagers today:
- Dysthymia
Dysthymia renders people more vulnerable to various types of mood/depression disorders.
- Bipolar Disorder
Characterized by depressive episodes followed by hypomania or periods of mania, bipolar disorder may cause considerable impairments in adolescents. However, bipolar disorder is often treated with medication and psychotherapy.
- Major Depressive Disorder
It is the most severe and widespread mental disorder, with an estimated 7% of teenagers and adolescents fulfilling diagnostic criteria. A kid’s family, career, and social activities are generally impacted by major depression.
5. Psychosis
It is a severe mental health illness that usually appears in early adulthood or late adolescence. Psychosis is characterized by a loss of contact with reality, including seeing and hearing things that are not there (auditory or visual hallucinations) or perceiving something that is not real. Although warning signals might be challenging to detect, psychosis in teenagers is curable if discovered earlier.
6. Eating Problems
Teenagers are less likely to have eating problems, with the risk rising with age. Even though these eating problems are more frequent among girls; they may also afflict adolescent boys. Eating disorders are dangerous and sometimes harmful. The following are the most frequent eating disorders in adolescents and teenagers:
- Anorexia
People with anorexia experience an extreme fear of putting on weight and limiting calorie intake to lose and maintain weight.
- Bulimia
To prevent weight gain, adolescents with this disorder engage in binging (eating enormous amounts of meals in a short time), accompanied by compensatory behavior (e.g., laxative use, purging, over-exercising).
- Binge-eating disorder
Characterized by repetitive bouts of eating enormous amounts of food, sometimes to the best possible level), people who battle binge-eating frequently have significant guilt or emotions and humiliation after a binge. It’s the most frequent eating disorder in the U.S.
7. Schizophrenia
It is a mental health illness that affects roughly 1% of people and often appears during early adulthood or adolescence (between the ages of 16 and 24). Schizophrenia may make it super challenging for teenagers (or anybody suffering from this mental health illness) to think and talk coherently. It may also cause individuals to lose touch with reality.
8. Substance Abuse Disorder
Teenage years and adolescence are critical periods of hypersensitivity to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Since the mind is still growing, adding alcohol or drugs may significantly impact how it develops. Drug abuse problems may lead to other mental illnesses, or it might be how a teenager copes with the severe conditions of an already existing mental health problem.
Our Final Thoughts
Having an adolescent with mental disorders is among the most challenging situations parents may face. However, knowing that help is available and starting the healing process may make a huge difference.
