Mental illness is complicated and difficult, mostly because it is still to this day largely misunderstood. Before you beat yourself up about this fact, however, remember that there are many different disorders that your teen can suffer from. You don’t need to know every type of disorder just as you don’t need to know every type of disease.
You might not know what the metathesiophobia symptoms are or even what it is, and similarly, you might not know what dealing with a teenager with oppositional defiant disorder is like or what you should do. That is okay. With these six warning flags, you can notice a change and, once you do, seek out help with a professional so that your teen can be diagnosed and everyone can know what to do.
1. Unexplained or Sudden Mood Changes
Hormones during adolescence mean your teen will suffer mood changes, but these won’t often cause you alarm. A moody teenager is nothing to write home about, but a teenager that frequently changes who they are right down to their mannerisms is a concern. Some fun facts about dissociative identity disorder include the fact that each identity can differ drastically from one another, and might even have a unique way of talking.
Hormonal changes during adolescence, of course, can result in a few more common disorders that you are likely more familiar with. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common. If your teen is experiencing severe emotions or changes from erratic to depressed, seek out counseling.
2. Intense Emotions or Overreactions
Raging hormones in males and hormonal changes in teenage girl result in intense emotions that they might not know how to handle correctly. A few outbursts are nothing to worry about, but consistent overreactions can be the cause of concern. Teenage girl hormonal changes can account for a log of intense emotions, but they should not result in persistent sadness or anxiety so severe it results in panic attacks.
3. Changes in Their Daily Behaviors
If your teen’s behavior drastically changes, it could be a cause of concern. A lack of interest in activities that they used to be so passionate about can be a sign of depression. This isn’t to say that all changes in interests are bad. Your child can simply become disinterested in something, but if they stop caring about everything that is a reason to seek out help.
4. Difficulty with Concentrating or Being Still
Teenage personality disorders symptoms vary from person to person. Furthermore, borderline personality disorder teenager symptoms will vary from chronic depression symptoms or a panic disorder.
Regardless of whether you are looking at teenage cell phone addiction symptoms or drug addiction, a lack of concentration or inability to be still are huge warning signs, and you should talk with your teen to find out more.
5. Sudden Weight Loss or Weight Gain
Teen mental issues tend to result in physical changes as well. Depression can lead to sudden weight loss or weight gain, though these flats are more concerning when the underlying issue is an eating disorder. Of all teenage disorders, anorexia has the highest mortality rate, due to the combined concern of their bodies failing and the increased risk of suicide amongst victims.
6. Headaches or Other Physical Symptoms
There are many illnesses on the teenage mental disorders list, and mental disorders in teens don’t always exhibit how you expect them to. Regardless, if your teen is complaining of ailments, or is showing signs of poor health, seek out help.
Mendi is a passionate advocate for teens and adults in the mental health and addiction arenas. Mendi envisions and creates programs bringing a unique approach to mental health and substance use treatment.
Clinically trained, Mendi earned a BA with honors in psychology and social work at the University of Maryland and an MSW at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. His extensive experience as a therapist includes individual and group psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults and families in various settings.
Mendi has gained insight and experience from his work at several treatment centers, which include the Chesapeake Center for Youth Development, the Carroll County Youth Services Bureau, Chabad Crisis Centers and the Center for Discovery and Adolescent Changes.
Prior to launching Hope Street, Mendi conceived and built multiple successful, high end adolescent and adult residential facilities and outpatient programs that include Ignite Teen Treatment, Eden Treatment and Elemental Treatment.
Mendi has appeared on the Dr. Phil show, is regularly featured in mental health and addiction publications and speaks around the country in person, on TV and on Radio shows on these topics.
With his newest ventures, Mendi instills a unique blend of energy, creativity and expertise to the treatment of teens, adults and their families dealing with trauma, addiction and mental health issues.
The son of a Rabbi and eldest of 11 children, Mendi is a part-time rock musician, boxer, cantor and father of four.