PREVALENCE OP MENTAL DISORDERS IN TEENS

Many teens experience mental disorders that interfere with their nor­mal development and daily lives. A 1996 study, "Methodology for Epidemiology of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents," esti­mated that almost 21 percent of young people in the United States, ages nine to 17, had a diagnosable mental disorder. Sometimes teens are not diagnosed with these mental disorders because the symptoms of anxiety and depression can be similar to characteristics associated with healthy teenagers. For example, many teenagers are moody and irritable simply because of the pressures of life and the impact of ado­lescent hormones. These behaviors resemble the moodiness and irri­tability that are common symptoms in people suffering from anxiety or depression.

Some mental disorders are mild, while others are more severe. The more severe the disorder, the more likely it is to disrupt the sufferer's daily life. Some disorders persist for only short periods of time, while others can last a lifetime. The Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, released in 1999, reported that 10 percent of children and adolescents had mental illnesses severe enough to seriously affect their daily lives. This report also stated that the most common mental illnesses among children and adolescents are anxiety disor­ders. About half of those children and adolescents had a second anxiety disorder or other mental disorder, such as depression. In September 2000, the NIMH reported that up to 3 percent of children and up to 8 percent of teens in the United States experienced depression.

Help is available. Most teens who suffer from mental disorders can lead normal lives if they receive treatment.



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