Understanding Common Mental Health Disorders in Adolescents

Children's mental health is not often a priority unless symptoms are so severe that they interfere with school or home life in significant ways. Whether they experience attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, or psychiatric disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders, symptoms can impact their social relationships, emotional regulation, and academic success both present and future.

Being vigilant in identifying the mental health problems in children and adolescents can help set them up for success in both the short and long term.

Introduction to Adolescent Mental Health

The first step in understanding teen mental health is to explore the concept of mental health as well as identify common mental health conditions in adolescents.

Definition of Mental Health and Mental Health Disorders

Mental health is the overall wellness of how one thinks, manages feelings, and behaves. A mental health disorder is a pattern or change in thinking, feeling, or behaving that causes distress or gets in the way of being able to act.

Mental health conditions in adolescents are defined as delays or changes in thinking, behaviors, social skills, or control over emotions. The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being that allows individuals to cope with life’s stresses and contribute to their communities.

Common Mental Health Conditions

Let's take a closer look at common mental disorders in young people.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders among adolescents, affecting 31% of teens aged 13–18. Anxiety disorders involve excessive fear and distress that interfere with a person’s ability to function normally.

Generalized anxiety disorder is marked by uncontrolled excessive worrying, accompanied by difficulty concentrating, irritability, sleep problems, and often fatigue.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent spontaneous panic attacks, often associated with physiological and psychological signs and symptoms.

Mood Disorders and Depression

Depression is the second most common mental health disorder among adolescents, affecting 13% of teens aged 12–17. Depression can escalate, leading to a downward spiral of worsening symptoms and strained relationships.

Major depressive disorder is a mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activities. A related mental disorder, bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a mental health condition that can cause people to have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, and staying organized. ADHD can affect people of all ages, but it is most often diagnosed in children and adolescents. Six times as many boys as girls are affected by ADHD. The main consequences of ADHD are poor academic performance and behavioral problems.

Emotional and Behavioral Challenges

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Disruptive behavior disorders are more common among younger adolescents than older adolescents. Conduct disorder is a mental health condition characterized by antisocial, aggressive, and disobedient behaviors.

Oppositional defiant disorder is a mental health condition characterized by a pattern of angry or irritable moods or argumentative or vindictive behavior.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, commonly emerge during adolescence and young adulthood. Eating disorders can affect physical health and often co-exist with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

Psychosis and Suicidal Thoughts

Psychosis and Mental Disorders

Conditions like schizophrenia spectrum disorder that include symptoms of psychosis most commonly emerge in late adolescence or early adulthood. Symptoms can include hallucinations or delusions, which can impair an adolescent’s ability to participate in daily life and education.

Suicidal Thoughts and Self-Harm

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in older adolescents and young adults. Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted, including harmful use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to accessing care, and access to means of suicide.

Non-suicidal self-injury (e.g. “cutting”) is intentional self-inflicted damage to the surface of one’s body with the expectation that the injury will lead to only minor or moderate physical harm.

Risk Factors and Prevention

Risk Factors for Mental Health Disorders

Exposure to adversity, pressure to conform with peers, and exploration of identity can affect mental health. Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination, or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.

History of depression or other mental health disorder, parental history of anxiety or mood disorder or other mental health disorder, and increased academic or social demands can increase the risk of mental health disorders.

Prevention Strategies for Mental Health

Mental health promotion and prevention interventions aim to strengthen an individual’s capacity to regulate emotions and enhance alternatives to risk-taking behaviors. These programs require a multi-level approach with varied delivery platforms and strategies to reach adolescents, particularly the most vulnerable.

Early detection and treatment can help address the needs of adolescents with mental health conditions, avoiding institutionalization and over-medicalization.

Supporting Adolescents with Mental Health Conditions

How to Help Your Teen with Mental Health Issues

Educate yourself on your adolescent’s mental health by talking to a local mental health specialist or researching information from reputable sources online. Be supportive and take time to listen to your teen, being patient and non-judgmental.

Seek professional help for your teen if you both feel it would be beneficial. You can find resources for children and adolescent health on the websites of organizations like the Mental Health Services Administration (MHSA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), or the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Therapy and Treatment Options for Mental Health Disorder

There are a number of therapy solutions for children and teens experiencing mental health problems. Which one will be right for them can depend on the issue that they're dealing with, as different approaches have more or less success on different disorders.

An evidence-based approach known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven effective in treating anxiety disorders in teens. Group therapy can be helpful for teens experiencing mental health issues, allowing them to connect with others who may be experiencing similar struggles. Family therapy can help teens and their families communicate more effectively and work through challenges together.

Medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, may be prescribed to help manage symptoms of mental health disorders.

Mental Health Services for Teens in Brooklyn

Mental disorders can occur at any age, and they can impact both physical and mental health. Children and adolescents who experience mental health problems can learn to manage symptoms using healthy coping skills by working with a mental health professional.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our team of doctoral-level child psychotherapists allows you to work with a provider that can create a treatment plan, offering a variety of practical strategies, healthy coping skills, and techniques that will allow you to work through your grief, care for yourself, and experience a better quality of life during difficult times.

Don’t hesitate to seek help if you’re struggling with sadness. With the right support, it’s possible to manage the grieving process and improve overall well-being. If you have been thinking about seeking help, reach out to our customer service coordinator to get matched with a professional who can offer tools and strategies to manage sadness, practice self-care, and work through the grieving process in a healthy way.