Adolescence is a difficult time for many teens, but how can you know the difference between typical teen issues and behavior that might signal a more serious problem? Mental health problems in teens are real, painful and, left untreated, can have serious consequences. When left untreated, mental health problems can sometimes lead to failure in school, family conflicts, drug and alcohol abuse, trouble with the law and suicide.
Some of the signs there might be a serious problem include:
-
Increased tardiness or absences
-
Angry or aggressivev behaviors
-
Poor concentration - student can't focus, fidgets
-
Student seems withdrawn, silent, lacks friends - especially if this is a change in behavior
-
Student appears overly anxious or worried, even fearful
To distinguish normal teen behavior from behavior that might signal a problem, consider two questions:
-
"How frequent?" Are warning signs happening over and over again? Do they persist for weeks?
-
"How extreme?" If a warning sign shows up, is this warning sign extremely different from this student's usual way of behaving?
The following links provide more information on adolescent mental health concerns.
-
-
-
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
-
-
Grief/Loss
-
Comments