DISTORTED HEALTH BUT MENTALLY: A Comprehensive Review of Mental Health Issues in Teens.

“Mom, I have zero appetite, leave me be!!” or “I am fine, leave me alone.”

What do you think about the two lines above? You probably think that the person who said this might be depressed, demotivated, mentally broken down, or just doing this for attention.

 I won’t judge you for what you thought about that, but depression is VERY different in reality. These dramatic scenes ,shown in movies and serials, are not the actual representation of what it’s actually like. To get an idea about depression, we need to know what it is first.

INTRODUCTION

Depression is categorized as a mental health disorder characterized by persistently losing interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. Now, how is it caused?

Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological and social sources of distress. It can be in many forms. Major ones are jotted down below;

• Abuse: physical, sexual or emotional abuse 
• Age
• Certain medications
• Conflict 
• Death or a loss
• Gender (unbelievable, right?)
• Genes
• Life events (this includes parenting and love life)
• Etc.

As mentioned before, depression is a mental health disorder. Do you know what mental health is?

You may have some idea regarding that, but do you know precisely what it is?

Well, let me tell you, As defined by WHO, mental health is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes their abilities, can cope with the natural stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to their community.

How does it affect people? 

Well, this affects our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel or act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices.

Now back to the topic, mental health of Teenagers.

Some key facts about this are:

• One in 6 people are aged 10-19 years
• Suicide is the 4th leading cause for death in 15-19 years
• Half of all mental health conditions start from 14 years of age, but most cases remain untreated or even undetected
• Globally depression is one of the leading causes of illnesses and disability among adolescents

CAUSES

The teenage period is the most crucial period for the development and maintenance of social and personnel habits. These may include the habits taught by our parents and teachers during the nurturing period, for example, maintaining a healthy diet, staying clean and fresh every day, maintaining a healthy sleep pattern. This requires a supporting environment. Whether in family or school or the local playground or the café. Almost 10-20% of teenagers (adolescents) globally experience mental health conditions, yet they remain in the dark and don’t generally make it to the clinics.

Peer pressure, academic profusion in daily lives, tiger parenting, are some of the reasons that lead to an unhealthy state of mental health which legitimately results in unhappiness, lowering of morale and anger issues, suicidal thoughts etc.which affects the mental health.  

Another huge reason for mental health issues in teens is sexual abuse and trauma. In fact, a study shows that children and adolescents are at greater risk when it comes to sexual abuse and related trauma.

Teenagers with mental trauma generally show a gradual but significant downfall in the academic front and social front. They become less social and slowly withdraw themselves from their friends and family.

DISORDERS

In addition to anxiety and depression, teenagers also experience mood swings and uncontrollable urge to violence. Younger adolescents may develop emotion-related physical symptoms like headache, stomach ache, nauseous feeling etc.

These behavioural disorders may lead to hyperactivity, conduct disorder or autism. These play a vital role in the criminal behaviour of a child.

Some other types of disorders include eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders are greatly detrimental to health and often co-exist with depression, anxiety and substance abuse

SUICIDE

Around 90000 young adults died by committing suicide in 2019 (NCRB)

One in every four teenagers in India suffer from depression, and only 30% are clinically treated after being diagnosed. Studies show that teens who commit suicide generally leave some indications about them being wrong, about them being guilty, feeling tired and hopeless, and hinting that they might not be around anymore.

 Remember that suicide is never an option. It may be easy for us to say so but think about the ones you love more than anything. Think about your life without them. 

This would be their life without you. 

You have an individuality that no one else possesses. You are unique, and you cannot destroy the uniqueness. 

PREVENTION

• WATCHING AND LISTENING: parents can keep their close eye on a teen who is withdrawn. Understanding depression in a teen is very obvious yet very difficult as teenagers are very good at hiding emotions. If you see symptoms, don’t brush them away. Mental health is as important as physical health.

           (THE LAST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS TELL THEM TO “tough it out”)

• ASK QUESTIONS: communication is very important in any relationship. Within the family or even a friend circle, you need to communicate. 
• TAKING IMMEDIATE ACTION: a visit to a known psychiatrist or a therapist is very much needed if you see some symptoms of depression in anyone. Don’t give in to the stigma of seeing a psychiatrist (which is prevalent in countries like India), and please get some help as nothing is more important than your mental wellbeing.
• TALKING ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS: talking about personal interests can greatly affect them. They would try to get in the conversation and try to be an active part of the conversation.
• TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT LOSS AT A YOUNG AGE: when a child knows about the losses and gains, it becomes easy for a child to think in a higher perspective and gain momentum to reduce the ill effects of the child lost in his mental health.

Note to all readers: WE IN NO POSSIBLE WAY MEAN TO SAY THAT TEENAGERS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THE ARTICLE IS AIMED AT A SPECIFIC TARGETED GROUP IN WHICH THE FATALITIES ARE MORE FREQUENTLY OBSERVED, AND IN NO MEANS DOES IT TRY TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE HIGHER AGE CATEGORY ARE IMMINENT TO NO COMPLICATIONS. YOUR COOPERATION WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED

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