It’s so easy these days to be caught up
in the events going on around us. So much is fighting for our attention. But, meanwhile, at the same time, some of our
kids are moving into their adolescent
years, and experiencing big changes physically, emotionally, hormonally,
sexually, socially, and intellectually. The pressures can be overwhelming for
some and may lead to a variety of mental health disorders.
Hudson Valley Parent wants to remind
parents of teens and those entering their teen years to keep an eye on them
when going about the day. At breakfast time, or in the car, or taking a walk or
even just sitting around watching TV, HealthyChildren.org advises parents be
alert for their list of common “red flags.”
Here are some of the most common:
- Excessive sleeping, beyond usual teenage fatigue, which
could indicate depression or substance? abuse, 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 are sharply out of character and could indicate
psychological, drug, or sexual problems
READ MORE: Teen anxiety on the rise
Depression
While all of us are
subject to “the blues,” clinical depression is a serious medical condition
requiring immediate treatment. Watch for:
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Unexpected weeping or excessive moodiness
- Eating habits that result in noticeable weight loss or
gain
- Expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness
- Paranoia and excessive secrecy
- Self-mutilation, or mention of hurting himself or herself
- Obsessive body-image concerns
- Excessive isolation
- Abandonment of friends and social groups
Eating disorders
Body image concerns
can become obsessions, resulting in startling weight loss, severely affecting
the adolescent’s health:
- Anorexia: Avoidance of food and noticeable changes in
eating habits should trigger concern.
- Bulimia: Purging (forced vomiting) after eating — be alert
for both dramatic weight loss without changes in eating habits (which
could, of course, indicate other health issues that require a doctor’s
attention) and also for immediate trips to the bathroom or other private
spot after a meal.
Drug abuse
In addition to peer
pressure, mental health issues can lead adolescents not just to experiment with
alcohol and drugs, but also to use substances for “self-medication.” And in
addition to being aware of the behavioral and physical signs of alcohol and
drug abuse — drug and alcohol paraphernalia or evidence, hangovers, slurred
speech, etc. — parents should also:
- Be alert for prescription drug misuse and abuse: According to the AAP, prescription
drug misuse by adolescents is second only to marijuana and alcohol misuse.
The most commonly abused prescription drugs include Vicodin and Xanax.
- Know that over-the-counter-medications can be abused as
well: Teenagers also frequently abuse OTC cough and cold medications.
Concern about your
adolescent’s mental health should first be addressed with your child —
fostering open communication goes a long way toward fostering sound adolescent
mental health habits.
If your concerns are
serious, discuss them with your pediatrician. Because so many mental health
issues display physical manifestations — weight loss being the most dramatic
but not the only one — your pediatrician can offer both initial medical
assessment and also refer you to appropriate mental health organizations
and professionals for counseling and treatment if called for.