One in Seven Adolescents Globally Suffer from A Mental Disorder

According to the  WHO, one out of seven people aged 10-19 suffers from a mental disorder. This is alarming and requires critical attention. Young people are the leaders of tomorrow and must have sound minds to impact the world positively. Why are mental disorders so common among adolescents? This post explores the various cognitive disorders, their causes, symptoms, and management.

What are Mental Disorders

Mental disorders are long-lasting conditions that can negatively affect your emotions, mood, and thinking. Examples of mental disorders include anxiety disorders and depression, among others. Most mental disorders are progressive. They start small and then worsen over time. Social stigma and inadequate medical facilities contribute to underdiagnosis.

Types of Mental Disorders

Common forms of mental disorders include

Anxiety Disorders: Individuals often experience constant anxiety about everyday activities, events, or interactions.

Depression: People experiencing depression often have persistent negative feelings and thoughts. They may worry about minor issues and struggle to appreciate the beauty of life, perceiving problems in almost everything.

Eating disorders: These can range from compulsive eating to overeating.

Personality Disorders: They occur when a person’s behavior significantly deviates from their culture. It becomes a mental disorder only when these deviations cause distress in the individual and those around them.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the body’s natural response to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as accidents, natural disasters, or the loss of a loved one. While it’s normal to feel sad after such events, if the sadness lasts for an unusually long time, it may be a sign of something more serious.

Causes of Mental Disorders

Mental disorders can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetic and environmental influences.

Disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are often inherited through genetics.

Most other disorders are caused by environmental factors such as parental training, trauma, social pressures, and expectations.

Why  Mental Disorders in Adolescents?

Adolescence is a time of significant physical, social, and mental changes. In today’s digital era, young people are exposed to various factors that can affect their mental well-being.

Pressures from social media, economic challenges, unemployment, and societal expectations can all have negative impacts on the mental health of young adults.

The nature of relationships at home, including abuse and poverty, can impact the mental well-being of adolescents..

Adolescents are often conscious of their bodies and may engage in unhealthy eating habits to obtain certain body shapes as they try to appear attractive.

Adolescents often engage in risk-taking behaviors that can have detrimental outcomes”Adolescents often engage in risky behaviors that can have detrimental outcomes.

Management of Mental Disorders 

Most mental conditions can be managed with medications, while others may require cognitive therapy and multiple interventions. Key determinants of treatment outcomes include the time of reporting, the extent of damage caused by the condition, and the willingness of the individual to seek treatment.

Mental disorders can only be diagnosed by a qualified medical officer. Experiencing any of the above conditions does constitute a mental disorder.  The surest way is to undergo frequent random checkups.

The body is not perfect. That is why check-ups are recommended. It is not a shame to have a mental disorder.

If there is no shame in having malaria, there is no shame in having a mental disorder.

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