Teen Mental Health: Disorders, Treatment, and Compliance

Introduction

Being a teenager in today's world is hard enough. On top of the stress of normal teenage life, millions of American teens suffer additional stress caused by symptoms of various mental health disorders. Conditions such as anxiety disorders, ADD and ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder are common among today's teens and should be treated through counseling, medication, or both. Yet prescribed treatments are frequently not followed through by teens, who show low levels of compliance with medication strategies. Compliance can be increased when health professionals, insurance companies, and teens work together to provide treatment options that are more in line with each teen's actual lifestyle.

Common Mental Health Disorders in Teens

There are several types of mental health concerns that affect millions of teens across the country. Anxiety disorders are a major problem for many adolescents with mental or behavioral issues. When some adolescents are stressed beyond their limits, they cannot manage that stress in a normally functioning way and instead release their anxiety in irrational and harmful ways. According to research, "Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders typically experience intense fear, worry, or uneasiness that can last for long periods of time" (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009).

There are several recognized anxiety disorders that can affect teens and young adults in various ways. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) causes adolescents to worry excessively over things that peers their age would not be nearly as troubled by. This excess stress tends to cause problems sleeping, difficulty functioning throughout the day, and serious trouble focusing in school. High anxiety can also produce physical symptoms such as lightheadedness, headaches, muscle tension, and fatigue.

Another serious anxiety disorder many teens face is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD typically develops during the adolescent years. With it come strange compulsions that are used to ease anxiety and suppress irrational fears. These compulsions become rituals that teens feel they need in order to function throughout the day. OCD can range from mild to extremely severe, and unfortunately the disorder affects around 2.2 million Americans (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can also seriously affect the lives of teenagers. This disorder is a response to severe trauma that occurred earlier in life and was then buried within the teen's psyche. Trauma can take many forms. As noted in research, "Children don't have to be physically harmed to suffer from PTSD. Children can suffer from PTSD if something bad happens to them, if they witness a traumatic event, or if a trauma happens to someone they love" (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). This hidden stress can negatively affect teens' lives and cause trouble sleeping, emotional numbness, intense aggressive behavior, and nightmares.

Social Anxiety Disorder, also known as Social Phobia, can harm teens and their social relationships. In many cases, teens direct their anxiety inward and become overly self-conscious, which leads to intense fear of social situations. This fear leaves them with few friends, weak relationships, and low self-esteem.

Attention Disorders, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder

Another major disorder affecting millions of teens is attention disorders. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a behavioral disorder that causes teens and young children difficulty sustaining attention for tasks such as homework. A more serious related condition, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), adds further complications. Children with ADHD show the same attention loss and distractibility seen in ADD but also display elevated levels of hyperactivity. According to research, "These children always seem 'on the go.' They dash around, constantly touching things, or talking non-stop" (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). Teens with ADHD may fidget, have trouble remaining seated, engage in inappropriate running or physical exertion, and constantly interrupt others.

Depression is also a widespread problem among teenagers around the country and the world. It can occur in temporary bouts or as a persistent feature of a teen's mental makeup. Around twenty percent of teenagers will face depression at some point during adolescence (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). Depression brings a prolonged feeling of sadness that interferes with daily life. According to research, "Depression gets in the way of how kids behave, deal with others, and how they feel about themselves. Nearly half of youth with depression report very severe impairment at home, school or work, in family relationships, or in their social life" (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). Depression can affect teens without them fully recognizing it, making it difficult for many to seek and receive proper treatment.

A more serious mental health issue faced by many teens is bipolar disorder. Becoming apparent mainly during adolescence, this disorder causes "emotions and behaviors to go up and down with severe 'lows' (signs of depression) and extreme 'highs' (called mania)" (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). During a high period involving mania, teens can show irritable mood swings, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech and thinking, excessive but risky behavior, and impaired rational judgment. Life moves extremely fast during a manic period and then slows almost completely during a depressive episode. Low periods show typical signs of depression and irritability that go beyond a rational level of stress, and also tend to include low energy and increased sleep. The teen is thus constantly pulled between two extremes, making adolescence considerably harder than it would otherwise be.

There are several ways to diagnose and treat the mental health issues that many teens face daily. Parents who recognize problem areas in their teens can seek medical and professional help in a variety of forms. Psychiatric counseling can be used both to engage with teens directly and to assess the nature and severity of their disorder. Conditions like OCD can be eased with proper guidance and intensive counseling. Following a psychiatric evaluation, additional medicinal treatment can be prescribed by a licensed professional.

Diagnosing and Treating Teen Mental Health Issues

Several medications are commonly used to help teens cope with anxiety disorders, ADD and ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder. In many cases, Ritalin — a common pharmaceutical derivative of methylphenidate — is used to treat ADD and ADHD. The drug helps calm teens and allows them to sustain attention on a single activity, such as schoolwork, for longer periods of time. Positive results have been observed in increased attention and improved grades.

In many cases, depression and bipolar disorder are treated through counseling first, before turning to antidepressants. According to research, "teenagers and children are more susceptible to having an adverse reaction to certain types of depression medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can cause suicidal thoughts or tendencies in teens and children" (Graham, 2009). For this reason, many parents, teens, and doctors prefer counseling over medication. Nevertheless, many teenagers who are diagnosed with depression are placed on antidepressant medications, which can help them break free from excessive and prolonged bouts of depression.

Conclusion

It is clear that everyone involved must work together to provide the greatest environment for teen compliance with medication strategies. The goal of the healthcare professional is to reduce the burden of mental disorders so that the teen can live a normal adolescent life. It is therefore essential to work within the boundaries of what each teen considers to be normal.