T - Teenage Mental Health #AtoZ #MentalHealthAwareness

1 in 5 young people suffer from a mental illness. Mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10–19 years. Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age but most cases are undetected and untreated.

Teenage (13–19 years) is a unique and formative time. Whilst most adolescents have good mental health, multiple physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make teenagers vulnerable to mental health problems. 

Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors which may impact their potential to thrive are not only critical for their well-being during teenage, but also for their physical and mental health in adulthood.

Teenage is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; taking regular exercise; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Supportive environments in the family, at school, and in the wider community are also important.

Multiple factors determine the mental health of an adolescent at any one time. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health.

Factors which can contribute to stress during teenage include:

• ·         A desire for greater autonomy
• ·         Pressure to conform with peers
• ·         Exploration of sexual identity
• ·         Increased access to and use of technology

Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future.

Other important determinants for the mental health of adolescents are the quality of their home life and their relationships with their peers. Violence (including harsh parenting and bullying) and socio-economic problems are recognized risks to mental health. 

Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, which has a clear association with detrimental mental health.

Harmful use of substances (such as alcohol or drugs) are major concerns in most countries. Worldwide, the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15-19 years was 13.6% in 2016, with males most at risk. Harmful substance use in adolescents increases the likelihood of further risk-taking such as unsafe sex.

Mental Health “Red Flags” parents/families/schools should be alert for:

• ·         Excessive sleeping, 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 could indicate psychological, drug, or sexual problems.

Identifying teenage mental illness symptoms can be difficult. That’s because most teens are moody and emotional during this time of dramatic physical and mental changes. However, mental illness in teens involves behavioral and mood changes that are far more extreme than average.

DISCLAIMER: All the information being provided her has been sourced from the internet and books and some also via personal experiences. It has no medical authentication per se so suggestions if followed must be done in consultation with a trained mental health professional.

References:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/depression-teens

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Mental-Health-and-Teens-Watch-for-Danger-Signs.aspx

http://teenmentalhealth.org/

This post is a part of April Blogging from A To Z Challenge

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