Education
Warning
Signs for Teenagers
Mental illness and its symptoms
are very real, and very serious, problems for teenagers. Early detection
and treatment can reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, and lessen
the lifelong effects of these disabilities. If your child, your
student, or yourself is exhibiting any of the signs below, please seek
professional help.
Is troubled by feeling:
- very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things;
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- worthless or guilty a lot;
- anxious or worried a lot more than other young people;
- grief for a long time after a loss or death;
- extremely fearful-has unexplained fears or more fears than most kids;
- constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance;
- frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control.
Experiences big changes,
for example:
- does much worse in school;
- loses interest in things usually enjoyed;
- has unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits;
- avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the time;
- daydreams too much and can't get things done;
- feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide;
- hears voices that cannot be explained.
Is limited by:
- poor concentration; can't make decisions;
- inability to sit still or focus attention;
- worry about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something
"bad";
- the need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines dozens
of times a day;
- thoughts that race almost too fast to follow;
- persistent nightmares.
Behaves in ways that cause
problems, for-example:
- uses alcohol or other drugs;
- eats large amounts of food and then forces vomiting, abuses laxatives,
or takes enemas to avoid weight-'gain;
- continues to diet or exercise obsessively although bone-thin;.
- often hurts other people, destroys property, or breaks the law;
- does things that can be life threatening.
