Child and Adolescent Mental HealthChildren and Adolescents Can Have Serious Mental Health Problems Like adults, children and adolescents can have mental health disorders that interfere with the way they think, feel, and act. Mental Health Is Important Mental health is how people think, feel, and act as they face life's situations. It affects how people handle stress, relate to one another, and make decisions. Mental health influences the ways individuals look at themselves, their lives, and others in their lives. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life. All aspects of our lives are affected by our mental health. Caring for and protecting our children is an obligation and is critical to their daily lives and their independence. Children and Adolescents Can Have Serious Mental Health Problems Like adults, children and adolescents can have mental health disorders that interfere with the way they think, feel, and act. When untreated, mental health disorders can lead to school failure, family conflicts, drug abuse, violence, and even suicide. Untreated mental health disorders can be very costly to families, communities, and the health care system. In this fact sheet, "Mental Health Problems" for children and adolescents refers to the range of all diagnosable emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. They include depression, attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety, conduct, and eating disorders. Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. "Serious Emotional Disturbances" for children and adolescents refers to the above disorders when they severely disrupt daily functioning in home, school, or community. Serious emotional disturbances affect 1 in every 10 young people at any given time. Mental Health Disorders Are More Common in Young People than Many Realize. Studies show that at least one in five children and adolescents have a mental health disorder. At least one in 10, or about 6 million people, have a serious emotional disturbance. The Causes Are Complicated Mental health disorders in children and adolescents are caused mostly by biology and environment. Examples of biological causes are genetics, chemical imbalances in the body, or damage to the central nervous system, such as a head injury. Many environmental factors also put young people at risk for developing mental health disorders. Examples include: Exposure to environmental toxins, such as high levels of lead; Exposure to violence, such as witnessing or being the victim of physical or sexual abuse, drive-by shootings, muggings, or other disasters; Stress related to chronic poverty, discrimination, or other serious hardships; and The loss of important people through death, divorce, or broken relationships. Signs of Mental Health Disorders Can Signal a Need for Help Children and adolescents with mental health issues need to get help as soon as possible. A variety of signs may point to mental health disorders or serious emotional disturbances in children or adolescents. Pay attention if a child or adolescent you know has any of these warning signs: A child or adolescent is troubled by feeling:
A child or adolescent experiences:
A child or adolescent behaves in ways that cause problems, such as:
Comprehensive Services through Systems of Care Can Help Some children diagnosed with severe mental health disorders may be eligible for comprehensive and community-based services through systems of care. Systems of care help children with serious emotional disturbances and their families cope with the challenges of difficult mental, emotional, or behavioral problems. To learn more about systems of care, call the National Mental Health Information Center at 1-800-789-2647, and request fact sheets on systems of care and serious emotional disturbances, or visit the Center's web site at http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov Finding the Right Services Is Critical To find the right services for their children, families can do the following:
It is critical that people who are not satisfied with the mental health care they receive discuss their concerns with providers, ask for information, and seek help from other sources. Important Messages About Child and Adolescent Mental Health:
Information is available; call 1-800-789-2647. This is one of many fact sheets on children's mental health disorders. All the fact sheets listed below are written in an easy-to-read style. Families, caretakers, and media professionals may find them helpful when looking for information about mental health disorders. For free copies, call 1-800-789-2647, or visit http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov With Much Love, Mr. Buchanan is at the front of the line, as the top Mental Health Expert in the land today! He has fought the demons and showed us in his two books, Out of Darkness & Everybody Hurts Sometimes... The Me You Never See, that this stuff is beatable! You can bounce back with a PRP- Personal Recovery Plan, Call him today to set up your 15 min. consultation, he gave me permission to list his number up here for you! Contact Us | Privacy Statement | Links They Are Calling Arthur Buchanan, World
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