Teens and Mental Health

Today NEW Core got a visit from 2 project success presenters, a on campus service that helps students with mental illness and substance abuse.

1) What is a mental disorder?

What I thought: A mental disorder is something wrong with a persons brain that makes it hard to function (substance addiction, chemical imbalance).

What we learned: A mental disorder or mental illness is a diagnosable illness that affects thinking and ability to function in society. There are over 100 different mental illnesses in the differential diagnoses encyclopedia

2) What is anxiety?

      WIT: Uncontrollable fear, nervousness, paranoia.

      WWL: Anxiety can be good and bad, keeps you on your toes as stressful. But when it gets

      uncontrollable and lasts for more than 6 months.

3) What are some symptoms of anxiety?

      WIT: Hyper awareness, chest pain, shortness of breath, trembling, restlessness.

      WWL: nausea, restlessness, insomnia, hyper awareness, skin crawling, heart pounding, panic

      attacks

4) What are some causes of anxiety?

    WIT: Traumatic experiencing, group of people, fear

 

    WWL: Genetics, parental figures, substance abuse, medical conditions and medication, chemical

     imbalance, abuse,  high stress levels, life circumstances, family conflict, high expectations

5) What is depression?

   

     WIT: Mental illness that causes long levels of sadness, and hopefulness, loss of life enjoyment,

    apathy.

    WWL: Increased levels of sadness and decreased amounts of pleasure in regular activity. Loss of

    ability to do regular activities,

6) What are some causes of depression?

     WIT: loss, life events

     WWL: genetics, brain chemistry, environmental factors, stress, medication, alcohol, drugs.

7) Symptoms?

      WWL: Decreased pleasure irregular sleep patterns, anger irritability, apathy, fatigue, guilt

       worthlessness, thoughts of suicide. weight gain or loss.

       Sadness and depression are not the same thing.

8) Why is treatment for a mental illness necessary?

      WIT: could worsen, could lead to suicide, symptoms will get worse without treatment  

      WWL: Drug and alcohol abuse can get worse, running away, addiction, violence, reckless

       behavior, social isolation, and self harm and suicide are all possible without

       treatment. counseling, phsyco- therapy, medication. Combination is best. Go to doctor to rule out

       physical illness first.

9) What are some warning signs of suicide?

       Suicide is the second leading cause of death from 10-24.

       WIT: talks a lot about death, giving away important possessions, self harm, unusual changes in

       mood.

       WWL: Threats of suicide, current talk of suicide, making a plan for suicide, talking about it in a

       direct or indirect way, "You wont see me tomorrow", looking for pills or weapons, writing

       goodbye letters anxious depressed or not sleeping, talking

       about death a lot, and abusing substance.

10) If someone who was suicidal who could you go too/ call?

• Counselors
• Teachers
• Student advisors
• Principal
• Adults at the school
• Police
• Therapist
• Suicide hotline 1 (855) 587 6373

     Q.P.R

     Question

     Persuade

     Refer

My Questions

     What is the most common disorder among teens?

     If anxiety starts to happen so early in your life when does manic depression normally start to

     display itself?