Mental Health for Adolescents/Children

When a child has mental health issues, this can interfere with academic performance, family life, and other relationships. Many kids don't get the help they need for various reasons:

• Family is not involved
• Family cannot afford the services
• They may be unaware of specific services
• Sometimes parents are in denial
• Kids who end up in the criminal justice system are treated like criminals, rather that patients who need mental health services
• Teenagers are afraid or too embarrassed to ask for help

What are some causes/contributing factors for Mental Health problems in kids?

• brain injury (i.e., from accidents or physical abuse)
• chemical imbalances (like lack of serotonin,  dopamine, etc)
• genetics (the mental illness runs in the family)
• exposure to environmental toxins
• being the target or witness to a traumatic event
• grief/loss
• very high levels of stress for long periods of time

What are the things to look out for? Warning signs and symptoms?

• wanting to hurt self or others (suicidal/homicidal ideation, or other self-injurious behaviors like cutting, or bulimia)
• feelings of profound sadness and/or hopelessness, and the feelings won't subside
• feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• isolation/withdrawal from others
• losing interest in usual activities
• paranoia (thinking people are watching you, chasing you, out to get you, following you, talking about you)
• changes in eating and sleeping habits (eating more/less; sleeping more/less)
• racing thoughts
• hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing things, feeling things crawling on the skin)
• running away
• agitation, irritability, poor anger control, aggression
• feelings of anxiousness, worry, fear
• somatic complaints that are recurrent or unexplained (stomach aches, headaches, etc)

What should you do if you believe your child needs help? SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY!!

• first, have the child examined by a medical doctor to rule out any metabolic or physical problems
• talk to the school counselor
• check your insurance company for health care professionals that are available on your plan
• seek help from community resources

Here are some resources online:

Mental Health Association in Texas www.mhatexas.org or http://www.parentinginformation.org/ 

Adolescent Stages of Development http://childparenting.about.com/od/childdevelopment

Normal Adolescent Development (middle and high school)  http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/develop.htm

Late High School and beyond
http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/develop2.htm

Texas Council of Community Mental Health Mental Retardation Centers  http://www.txcouncil.com

Texas Suicide and Crisis Hotline http://www.txcouncil.com/crisis.html

Mental Health Association in Texas www.mhatexas.org

Any Baby Can-Child and Family Resource Center http://www.abcaus.org/programs.asp

Brain Wonders-Helping Babies & Toddlers Grow and Develop http://zerotothree.org/brainwonders/

Phone numbers:

Texas Youth Hotline 1-800-210-2278
Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255
United Way Helpline 1-800-833-5948
Texas Underage Drinking Hotline 1-888-843-8222
Adolescent Suicide Hotline 1-800-621-4000
Eating Disorders Center 1-888-236-1188
National Center for Learning Disabilities 1-888-575-7373

Ms. Erin