Have you looked into Teen Mental Health Treatment options yet? With so many things people need to face and deal with in this fast-paced world, some issues are often overlooked or deemed unimportant. As they say, people tend to react only to matters that concern them. Sad and disappointing, right? Unfortunately, one of the things that most people, especially parents, need to be aware of is a pre-teen and teenage mental health. The world has many issues, and this one is being pushed further in the corner, with valuable data resources getting harder and harder to access. In this post, let us bring light to this subject, raise awareness, analyze the problem, and find solutions, among others.
What is Pre-Teen and Teen Mental Health?
Mental health is an essential part of children’s and adolescents’ overall health. However, since people in this age(10-19 years) are expected to have mood swings due to puberty and other natural changes in the body, many parents fail to recognize the warning signs of mental illnesses. And a reality check, mental illnesses are more prevalent in pre-teens and teenagers. The good thing is, there are many types of teen mental health treatments depending on how early detection occurred and if an accurate diagnosis was made.
Reasons That Teens Mental Health Issues Develop.
Some of the most common causes of mental illnesses in teenagers are depression, generalized anxieties, peer pressure, and social phobias. Experts explain that adolescents face a significant amount of stress and pressure brought by everyday matters. They are expected to do well in school, which also requires them to adapt to social settings, regardless if they are feeling self-conscious and insecure. They are also likely to make big decisions, and the worst part is, most parents and peers anticipate they’d get it right. Repeated failures, disappointments, criticisms, abuse, and the likes can lead to the persistent feeling of anxiety, sadness, or emptiness.
Crucial Data and Statistics Parents Should Know about Teen Mental Health
Based on the drug addiction facts & teenage mental health statistics 2020 released by the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the primary causes of disabilities and illnesses among adolescents is depression. And since one out of six people is an adolescent (aged 6-17), the global burden of mental diseases affecting teenagers accounts for 16%.
Notably, half of these alarming adolescent mental illnesses can occur in teens aged 14, but unfortunately, many cases go undetected until the conditions worsen. It shot up to 75% by the age of 24. Unfortunately, the consequences of untreated teen mental health conditions extend to later years, eventually limiting the person’s opportunities to live a fulfilling life as an adult. That is if the teens can battle with the adverse effects of their condition long enough. As stressed by WHO (World Health Organization), the 4th leading cause of death in teens between 15 and 19 is suicide.
The Adverse Impact of Covid-19 on Adolescents Mental Health.
Although health experts claim that children and teenagers are a low-risk group to get severe COVID-19, it doesn’t mean that they are the least affected part of the population. The pandemic and its global impact have disrupted the way we live our lives, and adolescents are no exception.
In a recent survey conducted by the Benji Project in Washington, teens, particularly 10th graders, reported varying experiences related to the crisis brought by the pandemic. The survey sheet comes with mental health markers and vital questions about suicide. And while the majority of the teenagers reported that their mental health state was the same before COVID-19, a significant number also declared theirs was better before the pandemic chaos.
The StatCom Group, an affiliate of the University of Washington, further analyzed the survey result. Notably, most adolescents claim that adjusting to the remote school set up and spending their time under the watchful eyes of their parents and relatives, with limited access to their happy pills, are two of their biggest pandemic challenges.
Common Causes of Teenage Mental Health Illness
It is usually assumed that teenagers are wild, carefree, and have the curiosity and confidence to learn new things. But while part of this notion might be true, many people fail to recognize that their lives are full of emotional chaos. Sometimes the warning signals are taken for granted, and the issue can quickly escalate to alarming problems in the future. Sometimes mental illness also causes drug addiction in teens. So, whether you are a parent or an unaware victim, it is best to know what causes mental health disorders in adolescents.
What Can Cause Teenage Mental Health Issues?
It is worth noting that stress is one of the primary causes. Teenagers, as already mentioned, are up to significant pressure from various biological factors. They tend to please everybody, particularly their parents and social circles, regardless of their social status and living conditions. Once they fail to meet certain expectations, they can quickly feel disappointed in themselves. The lack of quality support and compassionate services ultimately prompts them to withdraw from the rest of the world.
The problem is that one instance is enough to sink them into depression. But to counter this, our 5 ways to get over depression and teen depression treatment in los angeles will help you rise above depression. And while coping with stress and anxiety can be done in different ways, such as binge eating and limiting their social circles, many cases need expert intervention. After all, stress, anxiety, and binge eating are considered the most common causes of teen mental health problems. However, there are also behavioral problems that can further push them into the sinkhole.
As emphasized by the World Health Organization, behavioral disorders in children and adolescents aged 10-14 are among the leading causes of youth mental illness, second to be exact. Meanwhile, in studies concerning teenagers aged between 15 and 19, such disorders rank as the 11th leading cause of the prevalent issue. Notably, the most commonly associated behavioral disorders to worsening teenage mental health are Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Infact there are many celebrities who suffer with OCD issues.
OCD is the condition of having patterns of unwanted fears and thoughts that ultimately lead a person to develop repetitive behaviors known as compulsions. Unfortunately, some of the most common obsessions that OCD patients deal with are difficulty in tolerating uncertainties, the intense need to keep things in order, and having aggressive thoughts of harming themselves and others.
Meanwhile, ADHD is characterized by excessive activity, difficulty in concentration, and impulsivity, which are inappropriate for a person’s age. This disorder, unfortunately, triggers adolescents to experience mental changes and prompts them to engage in things that could quickly go wrong and give them unbearable consequences.
Common Causes Teen Mental Health in Girls.
Puberty is one of the most crucial stages wherein adolescents transition from childhood to adulthood, physically, psychologically, and mentally. The changes that happen vary from one teenager to another. However, according to numerous studies, females are more vulnerable to this critical phase’s psychological and emotional implications in a human’s life.
During this period, adolescents exhibit traits such as confusion, anger, rebellion, and mood disorder. However, girls are more conscious of the physical changes that happen in their bodies, which reduces self-esteem and confidence. Once it happened, girls with low self-esteem would tend to detach themselves from their social life such as school and social media.
Symptoms That Your Teen Need Mental Health Treatment.
As a parent, how do you know if your child has a mental illness? It’s easy for other people to conclude that perhaps, care or attention is lacking. However, telling the difference between the behaviors that society expects and the signs of mental illness doesn’t come easy, even to experts. But unfortunately, this challenge shouldn’t serve as a valid excuse. As parents, it is your responsibility to know how to know if your child has a mental illness.
Based on the National Alliance on Mental Illness data, 20% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 have varying mental health conditions. Meanwhile, half of the lifetime cases develop by the age of fourteen.
So, what are the telltale signs? Though the symptoms vary from one mental illness to another, here are some of the most common teenage mental illness symptoms:
- Prolonged feeling of extreme feeling of sadness/tiredness.
- An intense feeling of fear and criticisms.
- Always worrying about something/low self-esteem.
- Alarming mood changes/uncontrollable moments of euphoria.
- Withdrawal from people (friends and social activities).
- Extreme lack of appetite or increased hunger.
- Difficulty to concentrate/lack of insight.
- Hallucination/delusions.
- Overuse of alcohol, drugs, and other substances.
- Various ailments without obvious or plausible causes (stomachache, headache, pain).
- Having suicidal thoughts.
How Can You Help Your Teen with Mental Illness?
Parenting alone is hard enough. So, can you imagine how cumbersome parenting a teenager with mental illness can be? However, no matter how challenging, you should take a step to provide support and seek help before it’s too late. Here are some of the first steps you can take.
Talk to Your Teen About Your Concerns.
Your relationship with your children significantly impacts their mental health. When they feel loved, understood, and supported, they are less likely to feel vulnerable about life’s blows because they know they always have someone to talk to, someone who can guide them and help them make the right decisions and feel good about themselves.
There are many amazing Teen Mental Health Treatment Center Los Angeles. Start doing your research today. At the earliest signs of problems, talk to your child. Encourage them to open their feelings, to show you their emotions, value what they feel, as well as their opinions and ideas. This way, they will feel confident and open about the stuff that goes in their minds.
Help Your Teen Identify Trusted People to Talk To.
You might want to deal with your child’s mental health problem alone. However, once you have recognized the warning signs, it would be an act of selfishness to rule them out from everybody. Yes, you might seek help from professionals, but keep in mind that teenagers find it hard to open up to people, least of all to their parents, in fear of being scolded or judged. While you make efforts to talk to them or to connect them with experts, be open that they will need to speak to their friends, romantic partners, schoolmates, teachers, and the likes.
At this point, you can help your teen identify who are the best people they can talk to. However, do not enable them. Be supportive, but don’t force them to follow all of your rules as it might lead to a bigger problem in the end.
Keep a Diary of Your Child's Behavior.
It is hard to differentiate the signs of teen mental health illness from the expected behavior that most adolescents are expected to exhibit. Once you suspect that your child is behaving irrationally, don’t jump to conclusions and self-diagnose. Instead, check the routines. Keep a diary and jot down notes of your observations. Based on your write-ups, you’ll have an idea as to whether the behavior is alarming or excessive. From there, you can seek help and guidance from the experts.
Promote Good Teen Mental Health Treatment.
Creating a supportive environment for children and teenagers is crucial to their formative years. Do not wait for mental illness symptoms before giving what you should provide. Spend time with them, do enjoyable activities –bond with them whenever possible. No matter how close you think you are, do not forget to ask them regularly how they feel. Furthermore, even if they are young, acknowledge their feelings and ideas. Respect them as if you are dealing with someone who’s your equal. As much and as often as possible, encourage them about their strengths.
Get Professional Help
Let’s admit it. Not all parents have all the time in the world to spend with their children. There are varying reasons, of course. But, during a crucial phase in their lives, every parent should at least recognize that outside help is available. You can talk to different professionals, such as local mental health services, social workers, school counselors, and community health services. Our clinical experts at Key Healthcare are a team of professionals who offer transitional mentoring, intensive outpatient programs with individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy for teenagers. Our staff has extensive knowledge about mental health illnesses and has teen mental health programs specifically designed to assist young adults in navigating their life paths and learning self-sufficiency.
Types of Teen Mental health Treatment Options
Treating adolescents for mental health illnesses requires time, patience, and genuine care. The good thing is, you, as a parent, don’t need to do it alone. There are different types of teen mental health treatments and healing processes. Let us take a look at the top options.
1. Residential Teen Mental Health Treatment.
One of the most preferred types of teen mental health treatment options at Key Health Care is a residential treatment program for teens, also known as rehab. These are usually carried out in healthcare facilities with a well-structured environment. There are homelike setups, and the patients will feel as if they haven’t left home. However, there are trained professionals that supervise the teenagers for 24 hours. These trained staffs include therapists, psychiatrists, counselors, dietitians, nurses, and other holistic practitioners. However, they rarely do their jobs in uniforms to keep the casual, residential setting.
2. Hospital Inpatient Treatment for Mental Health.
This treatment option applies to patients with acute mental health conditions. The process takes place in a psychiatric clinic or hospital. Patients are required to stay for at least one night, extending up to 30 days, depending on the severity of the symptoms and the progress. In some cases, when the patients fail to show signs of improvements, they will be recommended by the attending physicians and psychiatrist to be transferred to residential treatment facilities.
3. Outpatient Teen Mental Health Treatment.
Teen Intensive Outpatient Treatment options vary in terms of types and illness intensity. The experts might carry out the treatment in-home service or a “visit to the clinic” when the teenager exhibits low-intensity symptoms and disorders. However, for those patients with escalating symptoms, this one might not be the best option. The need for an extensive evaluation of the patient’s condition matters a lot in this setting.
4. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
CBT is a kind of psychological treatment that attends to common problems of the youth population, such as anxiety disorders, depression, teenage eating disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and substance abuse. Yes, there are different strategies, but the psychologist and the patient work like dear friends in a light and casual fashion in most cases. Usually, the experts give exercises that are not entirely related to the problem, primarily to encourage the patient to use their critical thinking abilities, skills, and natural behavior. As supported by various studies, this option significantly helps in improving the quality of life.
5. Group Teenage Therapy.
Group therapy is an essential part of the intensive outpatient program in Los Angeles. The main objective of this treatment option is to bring together patients who, in one or another, share the same experience. The activities in this program are focused on a particular mental health illness, such as depression or social anxiety, and a clinical staff member leads groups.
6. Individual Teenage Therapy.
Individual teen mental health treatment therapy, as the name suggests, means a one on one session with a clinical professional or counselor at our Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Pacific Palisades, or Beverly Hills. This teen mental health service is better known as talk therapy, psychotherapy, or monitored counseling.
How to Find the Right Treatment Center?
There are many options in Los Angeles regarding mental health treatment for teens that focus on mental disorders. However, do not randomly choose one because it’s convenient, and don’t think that every service, protocols, and process are the same. Before selecting a teen mental health center, you must first consider the following factors:-
1. Plans
It is always recommended to find a treatment facility that conducts thorough evaluations and prepares a customized program for your child. To know whether your desired teen mental health treatment center los angeles is the best option, you must check if:
- The evaluations are based on evidence.
- The facility is known and recognized by professionals and organizations in the mental health treatment community.
- The programs are effective and tested over time.
- Sensitive, considerate, and compassionate to family dynamics.
- Can determine relevant issues and varying social factors.
2. Adolescent Mental Health Treatment options
A reliable teen mental health treatment facility carries out high-quality evaluation and uses personalized plans and programs covering every aspect, including physical, emotional, and mental. It must have a comprehensive set of goals and options tailored to each individual’s specific needs.
3. Family Participation
Personalized treatment plans must involve the patient’s family –from parents to siblings, grandparents, caregivers, and other people who are usually present in the patient’s daily life. As survey data suggests, patients who receive continuous support from their loved ones typically get better sooner than those isolated in the hands of professionals.
4. Age-Specific
Naturally, adolescents and adults require different types of mental health treatments. As the popular notion goes, no size fits all. A good teen mental health treatment center recognizes that it is crucial to adapt to the age of the patients, along with other modalities. In order to get the best possible results in the least amount of time, a tailored approach must be taken.
5. Involvement and Time In Teen Mental Health Treatment
Teen mental healthcare facilities must exert genuine effort to build and maintain cooperation, trust, and commitment. Thus, those centers that prioritize time in treatment are more likely to get satisfying results. The environment must be set up so that patients can enjoy fun activities and learn techniques that can keep them relaxed, confident, sober, and positively engaged.
6. Licensed & Trained Professionals
Regardless of the severity of the mental health issue, it is always recommended to seek help from teen mental health facilities with specific, rigorous, and goal-oriented training. They must also hold a license that proves they have sufficient knowledge of what they are doing to lessen the possibility of worsening conditions in the future.
7. Adolescent Mental Health Treatment Outcomes
Whether the patient needs a short-term or long-term treatment, a teenage mental health treatment facility is expected to conduct a consistent and timely evaluation. They must be vigilant of the processes and patient’s progress, allowing them to adjust the initial plans and practices if needed.
Teen Mental Health Treatment Cost.
According to the National Action Agenda for Children’s Mental Health USA, the country is up to an alarming problem concerning children’s and adolescents’ overall behavior. As per the mental healthcare report 2021, one out of ten teenagers suffers from varying mental disorders, with some cases severe enough to cause impairment, or worst, their lives. However, despite these alarming findings, less than 20% of the affected population receive the necessary treatment.
Currently, the estimated cost of treating children and young adults with mental health conditions is almost $12 billion per year, a far cry from the previous estimates. However, despite this whopping figure, only 75% of troubled teens do not receive the medication and mental health treatment they need.
Key Healthcare is able to accept most PPO insurance policies to help families through these crisis scenarios. If your insurance does not cover the program, we’re happy to discuss other financial options or help find you a teen mental health treatment program here in Los Angeles from one of our partners.
Myths and Facts about Adolescents Mental Health Illness.
There are so many misconceptions surrounding mental health illnesses. It is crucial to identify the facts from the myths to ensure that they cannot harm those patients who are well on their way to recovery. Let us discuss four of the most famous myths relating to pre-teen and teen mental health and find out if they are true or not.
1. Grow Up To Be Violent & Unpredictable Adults.
One of the saddest misconceptions concerning teenagers with mental illnesses is that they are violent and dangerous and will worsen when they become adults. However, it is essential to know that most victims are likely to have suffered pain and abuse from unknown perpetrators. This myth is extremely dangerous to entertain because it can promote bullying. It is vital to explain to everyone that a person with a mental health disorder is usually timid and withdrawn but not violent.
2. Mental Illness is a Sign of Personal Weakness.
A mental illness is the same as other illnesses such as leukemia or diabetes. It should, in any other way, be considered a personality type. Pre-teens and teens with mental health disorders usually do not have the courage, support, and tools to overcome the symptoms independently. However, needing someone to help them fight their battle is not a sign of personal weakness; rather, it should be seen as a strength as they move towards self-betterment.
3. Children Are Overmedicated.
Many people think that when a person with a mental illness goes to a clinic, the doctor will just prescribe medication. Most psychiatrists take their time to analyze the problem, devise a mental health treatment plan, and consider various factors. The solution is often being given in the form of behavioral therapies and not over-the-counter medicines.
4. Therapy For Kids is a Waste of Time.
Usually, psychiatrists use CBT to identify the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that cause children and teens serious problems. According to experts, when the symptoms are detected and attended to in a person’s formative years, the interventions’ higher chances would be successful.
FAQs
Q1. How to Reach Key Healthcare?
You can find all related information from respective guides
Q1. Is Overreacting a Mental Illness?
No, Overacting is not a type of mental illness. However, it can be a strong indicator of a severe condition. People with anxiety tend to overreact even in the simplest of things. In severe cases, this trait can be a symptom of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. However, it is not recommended to self-diagnose. Instead, seek the help of a licensed therapist.
Q2. What is the Best Treatment for Mental Illness?
As mentioned, there are many ways to treat mental illness. From mental health professionals with a specific area of expertise to treatment and facilities, one can only pick the best after a thorough evaluation of the condition has been made.
Q3. What are 4 General Methods Used to Treat Mental Disorders?
The top 3 general methods that mental healthcare professionals use are psychotherapy, medication, rehab…and hospitalization/alternative medicine.
Q4. What is Stage 4 Teen Mental Illness?
Stage 4 mental illness is when a patient experiences extreme and persistent symptoms for a prolonged period. This case often leads to impairment and other health complications that lead to long-term hospitalization, incarceration, or worst, death when left unattended.
Q5. How Can You Help Students With Mental Illness?
Teachers are considered as the second parent of their students. Usually, students spend more time at school than at home. At the earliest sign of mental illnesses, teachers should encourage the students to discuss the problem, notify the parent, conduct an evaluation, seek the help of the school counselors, or implement preventive measures. Even if there are no red flags, teachers must also ensure they educate students about mental health.
Q6. How Can I Help My Daughter With Mental Illness?
When you have a daughter with a mental illness, you should give her the love and support she needs during this challenging time. However, if a teenager is experiencing mental health issues, it’s often not enough. You need to access the right and valuable information about various mental health conditions, your treatment options, and several practical factors. As much as possible, exercise management techniques, stay calm, collected, and supportive.
Q7. How Does School Affect Your Teenagers' Mental Health?
School plays a significant role in a teenager’s mental health. The lessons, homework, tests, and projects effortlessly inject stress and anxiety. Due to the massive amount of assigned work, teenagers feel the need to take energy and caffeinated drinks, thus affecting their sleep patterns in the long run. Furthermore, the school expects students to join clubs and participate in academic and extracurricular activities, regardless of the student’s talents, skills, and capabilities, in hopes of honing them to be the better version of themselves.
