Finding Help
Serious
Mental/Emotional
Disturbance
Mental/Emotional
Disturbance
WARNING SIGNS
Most mental health disorders emerge between the ages of 16 and 24. And the longer they're left
untreated, the more debilitating they become - often leading to other costly, long-term chronic conditions.
Some parents don't recognize the warning signs of a teenage mental illness. Others worry that their child
will get labeled as ‘crazy' if they seek help.
But early identification, accurate diagnosis and
effective treatment of mental health and substance use conditions can alleviate enormous suffering for
young people and their families dealing with behavioral health challenges. Providing early care can help
young people to more quickly recover and benefit from their education, to develop positive relationships,
to gain access to employment, and ultimately to lead more meaningful and productive lives.
Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a
mental illness isn't always easy. Each illness has its own symptom, but common signs of mental
illness in adolescents can include the following:
- Major Depression
- Excessive worrying, fear or anxiety
- Feeling excessively sad or low
- Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
- Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable "highs" or feelings of euphoria
- Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
- Avoiding friends and social activities
- Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
- Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
- Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
- Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don't exist in objective reality)
- Inability to perceive changes in one's own feelings, behavior or personality ("lack of insight") Section: Finding Help
- Abuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
- Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing "aches and pains")
- Thinking about suicide
- Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
- An intense fear of weight gain, restrained eating or concern with appearance
- Changes in school performance
- Hyperactive behavior
- Frequent
"If you suspect your teen may have a serious mental illness, it's critical to get an accurate diagnosis early
on. Just like a medical illness, correct treatment relies upon correct diagnosis. The consequences of an
incorrect assessment can be devastating and have life-long affects. This may be the most important thing
you can do to help your teen. Don't settle for one therapist's opinion. DSM-5 behavioral health screeners,
such as the one used by Wellify Teen, can be 89% accurate in identifying "red flags" of potential mental
illness. Take your results to your pediatrician or a mental healthcare provider to advocate for a
professional diagnosis."
- Sally Newson, Founder, Wellify Teen