5 Signs Your Teen Needs Mental Health Treatment

Teens go through emotional ups and downs all the time. Hormones are changing, life can seem overwhelming, and without much life experience, a young adult can feel misguided. When parents are busy working, or a natural separation from family occurs, teens may turn to friends instead of parents. Peer support can be helpful for certain issues. But when the symptoms of a mental illness are present, more than a good friend is needed. The problem is, teens may not understand what the feelings they experience mean. As a parent, it’s important to stay connected so that you notice any changes or any symptoms of a mental illness in your child. Mental illness includes depression; anxiety; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; borderline personality disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); attention-deficit disorder (ADD); attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and many more disorders that can interfere with your teen’s daily life. In an effort to self-medicate — to control the symptoms of the undiagnosed and untreated mental illness — a teen without help may turn to drugs, alcohol, or eating disorders to feel better, to escape, to numb out, or to feel in control. Below are some ways to tell if your teen may need mental health treatment. Mood swings.How can you decipher a moody teen from a true set of mood swings that indicate mental illness? You know your child better than anyone else. Trust that you can recognize a shift in mood that is out of charac...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Tags: Addiction Alcoholism Anxiety and Panic Children and Teens Depression Eating Disorders Family General Mental Health and Wellness Parenting Students Substance Abuse Treatment Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Hyperacti Source Type: blogs