Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses found in teens with statistics showing that 4% of 10–14-year-olds and 5% of 15-19 year-olds experienced an anxiety disorder.

Three types of anxiety disorders are commonly seen in adolescents: 

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): The person is excessively worried about many things that cannot be controlled. GAD is typically diagnosed when a person cannot control their worry for a number of consecutive days.

• Panic disorder: People with panic disorder have sudden and repeated attacks of unreasonable fear that last several minutes or longer. During a panic attack, the person has a fear of disaster or of losing control when there is no real danger.

• Social anxiety disorder: This condition is a chronic form of irrational anxiety related to social interactions. The individual may have a fear of being judged or may worry about embarrassment or humiliation.

People with anxiety disorders often avoid talking about their problems. They feel that other people would not understand. 

Depression is one of the most common disorders in the United States, and rates among children and teens have been rising in recent years. As many as 1 in 5 adolescents has depression at some point during their teen years. Every year, about 1 out of 11 adolescents has an episode of major depression.

The two most common signs of depression in children & teens:

• Seems more sad and irritable than usual, in a low mood for most of the day

• No longer enjoys activities that used to make them happy

Other common signs & symptoms of depression: Spending more time alone and less time with friends, trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeps more than usual, trouble focusing or making choices, declining academic performance, changes in weight and/or eating habits, less talkative, poor eye contact, excessive social media use, low motivation, reduced energy, crying more often, feeling sad, worthless, or guilty about things outside their control, feeling hopeless about their future, lack of interest in personal grooming and/or appearance, etc. 

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a complex brain disorder that impacts approximately 11% of children and almost 5% of adults in the U.S. ADHD is a developmental impairment of the brain’s executive functions. People with ADHD have trouble with impulse-control, focusing, and organization.

“Attention deficit” is a misleading name. “Attention deregulation” might be a more accurate description since most people with ADHD have more than enough attention — they just can’t harness it in the right direction at the right time with any consistency. And so individuals with ADHD hyperfocus and lose track of time, or misplace their keys, or blurt out an unrelated thought when their focus breaks free from its chains.

There are 3 types of ADHD:

• Primarily hyperactive-impulsive type: People with primarily hyperactive-impulsive ADHD act “as if driven by a motor” with little impulse control — moving, squirming, and talking at even the most inappropriate times. They are impulsive, impatient, and interrupt others.

• Primarily inattentive type (formerly called ADD): People with the inattentive subtype of ADHD have difficulty focusing, finishing tasks, and following instructions. They are easily distracted and forgetful. They may be daydreamers who lose track of homework, cell phones, and conversations with regularity.  Many children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD may go undiagnosed because they do not tend to disrupt the learning environment.

• Primarily combined type: Individuals with combined-type ADHD display a mixture of all the symptoms outlined above

Just because a child or adolescent starts engaging in self-harm, it does not automatically mean that they are having thoughts of suicide or hoping to die. Young people who self-harm often feel overwhelming emotional pain. Others say they feel lonely, worthless or empty inside and will do anything to feel better, even if only for a moment. Still others report feeling overstimulated, misunderstood or fearful of close relationships. Some feel overwhelmed by school and family responsibilities, or want to punish themselves for something bad they believe they've done.

Self-harm can also be a way for kids to take control of their bodies when they feel a lack of control over other things—or when other aspects of their lives seem unmanageable.

We know that when human bodies are injured, certain chemicals are released by the brain to help us cope with the trauma. This rapid burst of endorphins and other natural painkillers may offer a momentary escape from the struggles a child can't seem to handle any other way.

Self-harm behaviors are most common among teenagers. Fortunately, most youth who do repeatedly self-harm stop after their teenage years. Most self-harm comes from a momentary need to escape, not a wish to die.

DID YOU  KNOW? 2 out of 3 children will experience a traumatic event before they reach the age of 16. 

Childhood is a critical time for growth, learning, and development. A child's brain is like a sponge, absorbing knowledge from their experiences and the world around them. While positive experiences help them blossom, negative experiences, especially adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can have lasting impacts on their mental and emotional well-being.

Understanding Trauma and the Fight-or-Flight Response

Trauma is an emotional response to an abnormal event that overwhelms a person's ability to cope with it. When faced with such events, a child's body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, triggering the "fight-or-flight" response. This response helps a child adapt to the immediate situation, causing physiological changes such as increased heart rate, altered breathing, and heightened senses. While this reaction is temporary and adaptive, chronic stress due to ACEs can lead to toxic stress, disrupting the normal development of a child's brain.

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Brain Development:

A child's brain is highly sensitive and undergoes significant development during childhood. It is akin to nurturing a seed that needs specific elements like sunlight, water, and soil to flourish. Similarly, a child's brain needs positive experiences and nurturing environments to grow and function optimally. Unfortunately, ACEs can deprive the developing brain of the necessary nutrients, hindering its growth and leading to lasting effects.

Trauma Targets Critical Brain Regions:

Adverse childhood experiences can particularly impact the hippocampus (associated with memory), the prefrontal cortex (related to logical thinking), and the amygdala (responsible for processing emotions). Severe or prolonged stress can place these crucial brain regions into survival mode for extended periods, weakening their functions and influencing a child's reactions as they grow into adulthood. While these changes are not always permanent, it is crucial to provide appropriate treatment and mental healthcare to help rewire the brain's response to trauma and stress.

Common Causes of Adverse Life Events:

Adverse life experiences can stem from various sources. While there is no exclusive list of what constitutes a traumatic event and/or adverse life experience, some common ACEs include abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual), neglect, the loss of a loved one (ie, death, incarceration, foster care, etc), missing parental figures due to divorce, caregiver mental illness, bullying, cyberbullying, exposure to violence, witnessing domestic violence, car accidents, sports injuries, and serious medical procedures. Each of these experiences can have profound and long-lasting effects on a child's well-being.