Although drug abuse has declined in the past 20 years (1), teens are using certain substances, like marijuana, more than ever. Mental illness and substance abuse in teens requires treatment, as co-occurring disorders can make it difficult to live a healthy and normal life. While all teens and adolescents experience anxiety, stress, and sadness, some…
Teen depression and substance abuse are closely linked. Mental health problems can lead to self-medicating, where you use drugs and/or alcohol to alleviate symptoms like sadness. About 8% of adolescents suffer from depression, and 11.5% of high school seniors use illicit drugs other than marijuana at least annually. (1) The teenage years are stressful, awkward,…
Learning how to talk about mental health to teens is an equally difficult task. Teens may not have as much understanding of the root of their emotions as adults. Because their logical reasoning centers are still maturing, they simply may not be able to understand themselves yet fully. Fortunately, mental health disorders are highly treatable.…
What do you do when the whole world seems to be falling apart? That is a question on everybody’s mind these days. With the stock market declining and COVID-19 cases increasing, anxiety has become a commonplace emotion. We are now facing social isolation at a time when our fears of being able to provide for…
Balancing academics, social needs, and future goals during adolescence can be stressful. Especially when you struggle with a mental health condition. Mental health with teens and school can make it even more difficult to identify, manage, and control mental health symptoms. Stressors, like grades or athletics, can aggravate symptoms and make it harder to navigate…
Without proper treatment, mental health disorders can cause disabling symptoms, which can impact academics, social life, and relationships. Mental health stigma and teens is an unhealthy combination, as fears about reaching out for help can outweigh a teen’s desire to get better. Conditions like depression can cause you to isolate yourself from friends and loved…
Teens are also more prone to making risky and dangerous decisions because many parts of the brain, including the decision-making centers, take nearly 30 years to fully develop. When you mix a still-developing brain with school and stress, drug and alcohol use can quickly follow. Adolescence is an especially trying time. Peer pressure, puberty, stress,…
It is shocking to learn that half of all mental health disorders begin displaying symptoms by age 14. That means it is especially important to look for signs and symptoms in adolescents and teens. Both addiction and mental health disorders are chronic and progressive conditions, meaning that symptoms continue to get worse until you receive…
Teens are still maturing, meaning they’re inherently prone to making risky decisions. Not only are teens more likely to cave to peer pressure and experiment with drugs and alcohol, but they’re also more prone to experience mood and behavioral changes during addiction. Because addiction is a chronic condition, it almost always requires treatment. Rehabs can…
When someone has a physical issue or disorder, it’s hard for people not to notice. Many times, the individual’s pain and suffering are apparent. However, with a mental disorder, the individual suffers in silence. We sometimes forget how lucky we are that depression and anxiety are but temporary issues in our lives. That’s not the…