Teen Mental Disorders

It is safe to say that there are many teens suffering from some form of mental illness. Some teens may grow into adulthood and never be diagnosed. Teen mental illness may be a contributing factor to teens that begin drinking and drink on a regular basis. This is sometimes known as self medication. The teen suffering from mental illness will drink to until they feel better, or don't feel at all. This compounds the problem because they aren't going to feel better when they wake up with a hangover. Another complication that can come from self medication for teen mental illness is the potential of an alcohol addiction.

Teen Mental Illness Help

There is help for teen mental illness. The first place to start is with the teen's medical doctor. The family doctor usually knows the family well enough to assist in finding help for any type of mental issue. It is important that a teen suffering with mental illness get the help they need. A teen suffering from mental illness that is undiagnosed can quickly be in a very dangerous situation. A teen suffering from mental illness is more likely to contemplate suicide than a teen that doesn't suffer from mental illness. It is always better to error on the side of being too cautious than not cautious enough when it comes to seeking help for a depressed teen.

Teen Mental Illness Statistics The National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey determined that about 13% of adolescents between the ages of 8 and 15 had at least one type of mental disorder. The concern is that many of these mental illnesses go undiagnosed. Another concern is that the mental illnesses go untreated. It is obviously much better to the development of an adolescent if they can receive the help while they mature rather than later in life.

Teen Mental Illnesses

Here are a few partial teen and adolescent mental illnesses:

• ADHD
• Childhood Depression
• Anxiety Disorders
• Eating Disorders

There are many other mental illnesses that are often diagnosed. It is always important to seek medical help and information from a trained medical professional. It can even be difficult for a trained professional to diagnose a mental illness.

Some information obtained from: Nimh.gov