Half of all mental disorders begin around this time and most go undetected and continue into adult life
Adolescence is an important period in the development of a person's lifelong social and emotional habits. This is a unique stage between the ages of 10 and 19, in which the greatest physical, emotional and social changes are experienced.
In this regard, young people who are exposed to risk factors such as poverty, violence or bad experiences are more vulnerable and more likely to develop mental health problems.
But there are other risk factors related to everyday life: the pressure to belong to a group of friends and to fit in; More access to technology (and consequently, more than information), frustration over the contradiction between reality and "what should happen", family conflict at home, bullying and not knowing how or from whom Need help.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), half of all brain disorders begin at age 14 or earlier. In fact, between 10% and 20% of adolescents have a mental illness, but they are not diagnosed or treated. Failure to deal with them has consequences as they may become adults.
To address this issue, the WHO develops strategies and tools aimed at governments to prevent and take care of young people's health. One of the most important aspects to avoid is over-medicalization and focusing on strengthening their emotional abilities and promoting a more supportive environment.
What are the most common mental disorders in adolescents?
Many disorders are more common in childhood and adolescence than in adulthood. They are classified as "emotional disorders" and prevent people from living a normal life, making it difficult to handle feelings, thoughts, behaviours and personal relationships.
Globally, depression is the fourth leading cause of illness in adolescents, and anxiety is the ninth leading cause, according to the WHO. These disorders can cause young people to isolate themselves, affect their family and social relationships, and impair academic performance.
At worst, this feeling of loneliness and isolation can lead to suicide: the third leading cause of death for boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 19.
Managing disorders
In addition to depression and anxiety, the most common emotional disorders in adolescence are behavioural disorders that affect behaviour. The most common is Daniel's Defense Disorder (ODD) when a young person is very irritable and deviant, breaks the rules and can be aggressive.
In some cases, to escape and seek refuge, adolescents start abusing substances such as alcohol or drugs, which can lead to intoxication.
Nevertheless, addictions have outgrown these substances and experts have warned of new forms of dependence. Video game addiction, for example, has become more and more troubling to experts and has been included in the International Disease Classification (ICD-11) developed by the WHO.
Does the acronym "TCA" sound familiar to you?
Another common group of disorders in adolescence is Eating Disorders (ED), which has increased significantly in recent years. People with ED distort their image, become obsessed with their weight, and change their eating habits.
The most common eating disorder in adolescence is anorexia nervosa when a person significantly reduces the amount of food they eat. Bulimia nervosa, when a person bends down and then tries to compensate for the provocative ultimatum; And the so-called "binge eating disorder", which is characterized by binge eating followed by feelings of failure and sadness.
Currently, social networks and aesthetic pressures carry a lot of weight on this type of disorder. Unfortunately, young people are overwhelmed by the standards of image and beauty that do not always match reality.
Faced with this situation, the WHO encourages health professionals and the environment of every young person (family, friends, teachers) to improve the social skills of adolescents, increase self-esteem and solve problems. Prevent some health disorders mentally by increasing your ability to resolve them.
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