DID YOU KNOW?
Almost one in five adolescents age 12-17 who experienced a major depressive episode in 2009 also reported issues with illicit substance use.
Approximately one out of five adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder,[1] and one in four shows at least mild symptoms of depression.[2] Warning signs aren’t always obvious, but more common symptoms include persistent irritability, anger, or social withdrawal, as well as major changes in appetite or sleep.[3],[4] Mental health disorders can disrupt school performance, harm relationships, and lead to suicide (the third leading cause of death among adolescents).[5] Unfortunately, an ongoing stigma regarding mental health disorders inhibits some adolescents and their families from seeking help. Effective treatments for mental health disorders, especially if they begin soon after symptoms appear, can help reduce its impact on an adolescent’s life.
[1]Schwarz, S. W. (2009). Adolescent mental health in the United States: Facts for Policymakers Retrieved February 16, 2011, from http://nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_878.pdf
[2]Child Trends. (2010). Child Trends Databank: Adolescents who feel sad or hopeless. Retrieved February 15, 2011, from http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/alphalist?q=node/126
[3]Burland, J. (2001). Parents and teachers as allies: Recognizing early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents. Arlington, VA: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
[4]American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2008). The depressed child. Facts for Families No. 4. Depression and high school students. Retrieved February 15, 2011, from http://www.aacap.org/galleries/FactsForFamilies/04_the_depressed_child.pdf
[5]Schwarz, S. W. (2009). Adolescent mental health in the United States: Facts for Policymakers Retrieved February 16, 2011, from http://nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_878.pdf
