4 Troubled Teens Blog

The American Psychiatric Association is proposing changes to its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The Association is asking for help from psychiatrists and the public to help define mental diseases for the DSM-5, the first new edition in 10 years.

The following are among the proposed changes:

• "Substance abuse" and "substance dependence" would become "addiction and related disorders," including "substance use disorders," such as "alcohol use disorder" and "heroin use disorder."
  
• "Behavioral addictions" would include gambling, but not addictions to sex or the Internet.
• Young children now diagnosed with bipolar disorder could instead be diagnosed with "temper dysregulation with dysphoria," which would include behavioral and mood problems.
• Asperger's Syndrome would no longer be a separate diagnosis but included under the term "autism spectrum."
• Binge eating would be recognized as an eating disorder.

DSM-5 is slated to be published in 2013.

Labels: dsm-v, mental_health, mental_illness

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The number of preschoolers diagnosed with bipolar disorder doubled in the past ten years, according to new research in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The number of children under 18 years old diagnosed with the disorder has increased by forty times over in the same period.

• About 1.5 percent of children ages two to five years old are now taking some kind of psychotropic drug, according to the new study by Dr. Mark Olfson, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University.
  
• These drugs may include antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants or antidepressants.
• Bipolar disorder, which involves severe mood changes, was once thought only to appear in late adolescence.
  

It is hard to diagnose psychiatric disorders in very young children because bipolar disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, sexual abuse and family dysfunction can produce similar symptoms.

Dr. Olfson said that physicians should prescribe drugs to preschoolers only after they have tried other interventions, "but that's not happening if you look at the billing records" from insurance and drug companies.

Labels: bipolar, mental_health, mental_illness

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About 9 percent of the children who went through Hurricane Katrina are still experiencing serious emotional disturbances as a result of their trauma, according to a new study from several universities, including Virginia Tech.

• The disturbances include symptoms of inappropriate behaviors, depression, hyperactivity, eating disorders, fears, phobias, and learning disabilities.
• The children who experienced the deaths of loved ones were the most affected.
• The authors of the study recommended continued psychological treatment for children in former hurricane disaster areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Hurricane Katrina occurred in August 2005.
  

"The effects of trauma, especially on impressionable young minds, can be long-lasting and far-reaching," said Dr. Beverly Smallwood, a psychologist. "If significant time has passed and the child or adolescent is still having problems that are disruptive to the life of the young person or the family, professional help is definitely advisable."

This study appeared in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Labels: trauma, mental_health, ptsd

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Teenagers who go to bed after midnight are 24 percent more likely to become depressed, according to a new study from Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

• The researchers also found that teenagers who sleep five hours or less are 70 percent more likely to be depressed and 50 percent more likely to attempt suicide.
• Dr. James Gangwisch used data on 15,659 adolescents enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
  
• The average teenager sleeps seven hours 53 minutes per night, about one hour less than the nine recommended by physicians.
  

Insomnia can be a symptom of depression, Dr. Gangwisch noted. Inadequate sleep is also linked to a higher rate of accidents, lower productivity, and increased daytime fatigue.

Labels: depression, mental_health, sleep

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About half the children who have mental problems are not getting treatment for them, according to a new study from the National Institute of Mental Health. The most common untreated problem is anxiety.

• Dr. Kathleen Merikangas and her colleagues used data from 3,042 children ages 8 to 15 years old, whose families participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
• Caretakers, parents and children provided information about the children's mental health.
• Dr. Merikangas identified six mental problems: anxiety, panic disorder, eating disorders, depression, Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity (ADHD), and conduct disorder.
  
• Among those who had such mental problems, about 55 percent had consulted a mental health professional.
  

ADHD was the most common problem, with over 8 percent of the children having that diagnosis. Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to have ADHD, while children from upper income backgrounds were more likely to have anxiety. Only 32 percent of children with anxiety disorder had gotten treatment.

"The earlier you can intervene, the less likely you are to see the consequences of these conditions, such as children developing substance abuse, suicide, dropping out of school, and not being able to function in their social roles," said Dr. Merikangas.

The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: mental_health, treatment_programs, therapy

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Today's high school and college students are reporting more symptoms of depression and other types of mental illness more often than young people did in previous generations.

• A study of more 63,000 students begun in 1938 finds that students are more isolated, misunderstood, and emotionally unstable than students in the 1930s and 40s.
• They are more narcissistic, have lower self control, and express more feelings of worry, sadness, and dissatisfaction with life.
• Eighty-five percent of today's college students scored below average in mental health measures such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.

Some experts say the changes in scores are due to increasing American materialism.

"When you talk about generational change, as this study does, it's really about changes in culture," Dr. Jean Twenge, associate professor of psychology at San Diego State University, said in a Dec. 10 article by Courtney Hutchison of ABC News. "These results suggest that as American culture has increasingly valued external and self-centered goals such as money and status while increasingly devaluing community, affiliation, and finding meaning in life, the mental health of American youth has suffered."

If parents are under too much stress, they become role models for putting work and success first and relationships second, said Dr. Bruce Rabin, director of the Healthful Lifestyle Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"Children learn from those they love," Rabin told ABC News. "If their role models are short tempered or tell children to leave them alone because they are under a lot of stress, that will have an effect on the child's mental health development."

Labels: depression, mental_health

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Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, depression and other pediatric mental health issues are more likely to drop out of school, according to a new study from Australia.

Study author Steven Lehrer, a professor at Queens University, believes that since poor mental health has an impact on how long children and teenagers stay in school, policymakers should consider how to identify such issues in early childhood and develop interventions.

This study, published in the Forum for Health Economics and Policy, won the RAND Corporations Fuchs Research Award.

Labels: depression, prevention, mental_health, dropouts

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Lack of sleep may cause depression in teenagers, according to Dr. Allison Harvey, a psychologist at the University of California. Previously, most experts believed that depression caused lack of sleep.

• Dr. Harvey noted that one in five teenagers experiences depression -- and of that group, one in three will not respond to treatment.
• She and her colleagues are studying 60 middle and high school students at the UC Sleep and Psychological Disorders Laboratory.
• If their theories are correct, sleep could become a treatment option for depressed teenagers.

Studies show that very few teenagers get the recommended nine hours of sleep per night; in fact, the average is seven hours of nightly shuteye.

Labels: depression, mental_health, sleep

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Researcher Steven Lehrer of Queen's University and Jason Fletcher of Yale have found a connection between mental health and educational success. In particular, Dr. Lehrer said, they found a direct correlation between poor mental health and the length of time a student stays in school.

An article on the website News-Medical.net provided the following details about the Lehrer-Fletcher study:

"Our study shows that poor mental health in children and teenagers has a large impact on the length of time they will stay in school," says Dr. Lehrer. He notes a large number of school-based programs have recently been introduced to prevent childhood obesity through lifestyle changes, but suggests the net should be cast more widely. ...

The findings provide strong evidence that inattentive symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in childhood and depression in adolescents are linked to the number of years of completed schooling.

Dr. Lehrer says this points to potentially large benefits from childhood and adolescent health interventions that have not yet been identified. "We focus on the link between health and education because unraveling the mechanisms linking the two will have important implications for policy design."

Labels: schools, mental_health, students

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The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) has partnered with the Canadian Mental Heath Associations (CMHA) Alberta division to raise awareness about mental health issues among school-aged children, and raise money to support CMHAs programs.

An Aug. 14 release on the ATA website provides the following details about the effort:

"Mental illness, even in moderate cases, can affect a child's relationships with family and friends, their physical health and their school performance," says Jonathan Teghtmeyer, an executive staff officer with the ATA.

Teachers see many students suffering from stress, depression, eating disorders, self-abuse, and even thoughts of suicide, Teghtmeyer says. "While such problems are family and health issues, they're also educational concerns because they affect a child's ability to learn. Teachers play an important role because they'll often notice a student's mental health situation before the child's parents or medical practitioners."

The objective of the ATA campaign is to increase awareness of mental health concerns and to raise funds to support the work of the CMHA.

It's also hoped that the project will help teachers recognize the symptoms of mental illness in their students and learn how best to handle situations that arise in the classroom due to mental illness. Several ATA locals are already involved in activities to support the work of the CMHA.

Labels: schools, awareness, mental_health, students

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A study that was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has revealed that being depressed as a teenager was a risk factor in developing adult depression and other mental health problems.

Study author Dr. Jeffrey Johnson said he was not sure if adolescent depression was an early phase of adult depressive disorder, or if it contributed to its development.

Dr. Johnson and his colleagues studied the 750 people ages 14 to 16 years old, and retested them as adults. Their risk for adult depression was four times higher if they had experienced minor depression as teenagers.

Labels: depression, mental_health

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Politicians and civic leaders are among those praising the Ballyclare planning board's decision to approve the establishment of Northern Ireland's first specialist psychiatric hospital for children and young people about 20 miles northwest of Dublin

A Sept. 16 Newtownabbey Times article reported the following:

The new 30-bed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) unit, due to be built with-in a 14-acre site off Templepatrick Road, will employ psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, social workers and other healthcare professionals offering round-the-clock care to children and young people with mental health issues, severe eating disorders and acquired brain injuries.

The Affinity Health Care project is expected to create 120 new jobs initially, but could support up to 170 posts when it's fully operational.

"It's a facility we need and I would hope that young people are provided with extra mental health services that are tailored to their needs as soon as possible. Northern Ireland is crying out for a dedicated service for young people and this is a very positive announcement," said Alliance MLA David Ford.

Labels: mental_health, treatment_programs, hospital, ireland

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Earlier this year, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued a recommendation that pediatricians begin regularly screening their patients for depression. A questionnaire was made available that asks how often patients have felt sad, had a hard time sleeping or thought of hurting themselves.

According to a Sept. 13 Patriot-News article by Carolyn Kimmel, the effort has resulted in improved efforts to identify potential problems -- but the increased screenings haven't been accompanied by more efficient access to treatment:

Left untreated, mental health disorders in children and adolescents lead to higher rates of suicide, violence, school dropouts, family dysfunction, juvenile incarcerations, alcohol and other drug use, and unintentional injuries, the CDC reports. ...

Nationwide and locally, there is a shortage of child psychiatrists, which makes getting an immediate appointment a challenge. ...

The severity of symptoms dictates how fast the process moves, said Launa Snyder, outpatient coordinator for Behavioral Health Services at Holy Spirit Hospital, the designated crisis intervention center for Cumberland and Perry counties.

"If someone is suicidal, that is taken tremendously seriously, and it may require a hospitalization," she said. "For someone who is not having suicidal thoughts, it can be a couple weeks before they get in to see a psychiatrist."

Providing at-risk youth to prompt treatment for teen depression is an essential step in ensuring that they have the best possible chance to overcome the obstacles that are preventing them from pursuing successful and satisfying lives.

Labels: depression, mental_health, treatment_programs

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A study that was conducted at the University of Oxford (England) has revealed that children whose fathers suffer from depression are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders. In a May 3, 2009, article on British news website Telegraph.co.uk, medical correspondent Kate Devlin reported the following about the Oxford study:

Children whose parents suffer from depression in the weeks after their birth are twice as likely to go on to develop behavioural and emotional problems.

Teenage children of depressed fathers are also more likely to go onto develop depression themselves and even consider suicide, while alcoholic fathers are more likely to have children who suffer from mood disorders, depression and get hooked on drink and drugs.

The report also shows that teenagers whose parents suffer from manic depression, also called bipolar disorder, are up to 10 times more likely than their classmates to develop the condition themselves and between three and four times more likely to develop other psychiatric illnesses.

Previous studies have noted that as many as 20 percent of all teenagers suffer from depression, with more than 70 percent of teen depression cases going undiagnosed or untreated.

Labels: depression, mental_health, mental_illness, teenagers, fathers

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Your teenager's next visit to the doctor could include an emotional check-up as well as a physical one. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recently recommended that kids between the ages of 12 and 18 be regularly screened for depression -- a recommendation that has moved teen depression to the forefront of adolescent care.

Major depression affects more than 5 percent of teens and is linked with suicide, substance abuse and other serious problems. Yet it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. (Source: USA Today)

The Task Force has urged the screening for all teenagers, not just those who appear to be "troubled," and recommends a simple questionnaire as a starting point.

Regular screening should continue throughout adolescence, the task force recommended, even if no "red flags" are raised during the initial evaluation.

Labels: depression, mental_health, mental_illness, teenagers

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Psychologist Stephen Hinshaw has released a new book in which he warns that the high expectations placed on teenage girls is creating a "generational mental health crisis." Surges in depression, eating disorders, self-mutilation, and suicide are being fueled by a host of conflicting messages, he writes.

"In the book, Hinshaw and coauthor Rachel Kranz make a compelling case that, compared to previous generations of young women who juggled fewer roles, today's teenage girls are literally collapsing under the weight of adult expectations, consumerism and a highly sexualized pop/cyber culture that celebrates physical perfection and stratospheric success."

The book, titled Triple Bind: Saving our Teenage Girls from Today's Pressures plays on the phrase "double bind," which was coined in the 1950s to describe the conflicting messages children receive from adults. The phrase "triple bind" is meant to convey the increased complexity of the messages that are inundating today's teenagers. Source: Berkley (CA) News

Labels: stress, mental_health, crisis

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A recent report from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) concurs with earlier findings that adolescents suffering from bipolar disorder (BPD) are more likely to smoke and abuse substances. An article on the report appeared in the June 2008 issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Timothy Wilens, MD, director of Substance Abuse Services in MGH Pediatric Psychopharmacology and leader researcher on the study, comments on the study findings:

"This work confirms that bipolar disorder (BPD) in adolescents is a huge risk factor for smoking and substance abuse, as big a risk factor as is juvenile delinquency. ... It indicates both that young people with BPD need to carefully be screened for smoking and for substance use and abuse and that adolescents known to abuse drugs and alcoholespecially those who binge useshould also be assessed for BPD."

Experts estimate that as many as 1 in 5 children and adolescents treated for mental health issues have BPD. (Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: mental_health, substance_abuse, bi-polar

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Physical exercise elevates the mood of people with serious mental diseases, according to a new study from Indiana University.

Dr. Bryan McCormick placed monitors on study participants and also paged them at random moments to inquire about their mood and activities:

• Most of the participants, who lived in psychiatric hospitals, were sedentary.
• The least active had the least positive moods.
• Walking was a particularly effective activity for elevating the moods of participants.

This study appeared in the Journal of Social Psychiatry.

Labels: mental_health, mental_illness, exercise

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Children who experience poverty at very young ages have a harder time as teenagers, according to a new study from Iowa State University Institute for Social and Behavioral Research.

Early "socio-economic adversity" affects later mental health, making it harder for a teenager to transition successfully into adulthood, according to the decade-long study of 500 families from Iowa.

Dr. K.A.S. Wickrama, professor of human development and author of the study, said that one of his main findings is that early family adversity is linked to depression in adolescents, making it harder for them to successfully transition into adulthood and reach their full potential socially, academically, and occupationally. This effect increases if a child also experiences disruptive events along with poverty.

Dr. Wickrama said his work indicates that poverty is passed down from one generation to the next through such mechanisms as adolescent depression.

This study appears in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Labels: depression, mental_health, poverty

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A study from the University of Chicago indicates that teenagers with histories of violent behavior get pleasure from watching others suffer.

"They're not only indifferent to pain - they love it," said Dr. Benjamin Lahey, lead author of the study.

Dr. Lahey and his colleagues used MRI scans to monitor brain activity of sixteen boys, ages 16 to 18 years old. Half had histories of aggression and violence, such as using weapons, stealing or starting fights, and the other half did not. Both groups watched videos of one person inflicting pain on another while they were hooked up to the brain scanning devices. The amgydala and ventral striati (the two parts of the brain linked to feelings of reward) of the aggressive teens became very active when they watched the videos. The differences between the two groups were significant, Dr. Lahey said, but he noted that the study was small.

Dr. Lahey said these results mean that the aggressive teens "experience seeing pain in others as exciting, fun and pleasurable." He and his colleagues had been expecting to find that aggressive teens were cold and indifferent to the pain of others, and not that they enjoy watching it.

This study appeared on the website of the journal Biological Psychology.

Labels: violence, mental_health, ethics

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A landmark "Roots of Youth Violence" study that was conducted in Ontario, Canada, found that mental health issues affect youth violence far more than most people realize.

"'Folks are saying, "The young kids are just hyperactive and they need some more exercise." But many of them are traumatized...' [said Alvin Curling]."

Curling and his associate, retired Ontario chief justice Roy McMurtry, submitted 29 recommendations - many of them having to do with mental health issues - along with their report. Source: The Toronto Star

Labels: violence, mental_health

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Almost half of young adults have mental disorders - and most do not seek treatment for their problems - according to a new government study published in the December 2008 edition of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Researchers used data that was collected on 5,000 people ages 19 to 25 years old who participated in the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. They compared the participants' answers to criteria for mental illnesses as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by doctors to diagnose mental illness.

Among college students in the study, 20 percent had alcohol abuse or dependency and 18 percent exhibited symptoms consistent with personality disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive, anti-social, and paranoid disorders. Eleven percent had depression, bipolar or other mood disorders. About 46 percent of college students had at least one psychiatric problem, as did 48 percent of non-college students.

Non-college students were more likely to seek treatment for alcohol and drug dependency, but treatment levels for both groups were low. The study found that fewer than 25 percent of the college students got treatment for mental problems. One recommendation was to create more university programs to screen for mental illnesses and provide interventions.

Labels: mental_health, mental_illness

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Certain new drugs for childhood mental disorders do not perform as well as old ones and can cause serious weight gains, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The new drugs are Risperdal, Zyperdal, Seroquel, Geodon and Abilify. Although the U.S. Federal Drug Administration has not specifically approved them for pediatric use, doctors are prescribing them frequently for hyperactivity, depression, autism, bipolar disorder, aggression, and schizophrenia.

The old drug, Molindone, performed better and did not cause as many serious side effects as the new ones, which cost four times more.

The study, which involved 116 children ages 8 to 19 years old, appears in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Labels: mental_health, medications, treatment_programs

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About 40 American teens end their lives every week, according to a study from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio.

The suicide rate for children ages 10 to 19 had been declining steadily between 1996 and 2005, when it suddenly spiked 18 percent. The actual number of suicides declined from 1,983 in 2004 to 1,883 in 2005, but it should have been 600 fewer if the downward trend had continued.

Psychiatrists including Dr. David Fassler of the University of Vermont believe that the suicide rate correlates with teenagers' using fewer anti-depressant drugs.

The Nationwide study found no differences in suicide rates between boys and girls, or younger and older teens. All were found to be equally at risk.

Labels: suicide, mental_health

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When Carol Gotbaum headed to the Phoenix airport, she undoubtedly had no idea that the airport's interior would be the last thing she'd ever see. News outlets around the world have repeatedly run the video and accompanying story of her arrest and subsequent death at Phoenix's Sky Harbor. For some, it raises the question "what were the police thinking, leaving a woman alone who was clearly so distraught?" For Kathy Scott, however, it raises a different question: where was Gotbaum's family?

"I do not know her family or the intimate details of their situation, but because I do understand the view many take of mental illness, I can surmise. The family simply did not acknowledge the stranglehold mental or emotional illness has on an individual, and like many others, simply wanted Gotbaum to be provided with the rights and dignity afforded to any other grown woman to make her own decisions and to chart her own course of action. If she chose to travel alone, they let her."

The problem, Scott goes on to say, is that those who suffer from mental and emotional disorders are often in states-of-mind that prevent them from making good, wise decisions. Though friends and family members may cringe at the idea of restricting a loved one's "freedoms", those restrictions can keep them on a safe path toward recovery.

Labels: emotional_issues, mental_health, at_risk

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Fewer psychiatrists are offering patients psychotherapy, according to a study from Johns Hopkins University. Instead, they are more likely to prescribe drugs. Patient visits that used to be 45-minute psychotherapy sessions are now more likely to last only 15 minutes.

Dr. Ramin Mojtabai analyzed data from psychiatrists' offices from 1996 to 2005, and found that psychotherapy visits dropped from 44 percent in 1996 to 29 percent in 2005. Other studies have shown that certain patients, including teenagers with depression, have the best chance of recovery if they receive both medication and psychotherapy.

Dr. Eric Plakun, a member of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Psychotherapy, said doctors have entered into "the age of the brain," and now focus on the biology of mental illness. He noted that some patients receive therapy from social workers or mental health professionals.

"Either way I'm worried about our patients," he said, because patients should be offered "a range of services," not just medication.

"If all you have is a hammer," he said, "everything looks like a nail."

This study appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Labels: mental_health, psychiatric_illness, therapy

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U.S. researchers have said that a recent spike in teenage suicides isn't an anomaly, and should be taken very seriously. The statement comes in the wake of a recent study that found that although suicide rates have declined, they remain dangerously high.

"Last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an 18 percent increase in suicide rates for Americans under age 19 in 2004... In 2004, they said there were 326 more suicides than expected and in 2005, there were 292 more suicides than expected."

The study says that "attention must now be directed toward understanding whether warning about suicide risks linked with antidepressant use caused fewer troubled teens to get treatment." Suicide is the third-biggest killer of children and young adults in the United States. Source: Reuters

Labels: suicide, mental_health, treatment_programs

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In a recent anonymous survey, more than 50 percent of college students admitted to having at least one episode of suicidal thinking.

"The majority of students described their typical episode of suicidal thinking as intense and brief, with more than half the episodes lasting one day or less. The researchers found that, for a variety of reasons, more than half of students who experienced a recent suicidal crisis did not seek professional help or tell anyone about their suicidal thoughts."

The authors of the study have suggested that a new model be developed for identifying and treating students who are suicidal. Their recommendation includes focusing on thoughts and behaviors, rather than waiting for students to be in crisis. Source: MediLexicon

Labels: suicide, mental_health, college-students

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People who experience mental problems as children or teenagers have more career problems as adults, according to a study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Researchers used data from over 8,000 people all born during one week in March 1958. Those who had mental problems when they were young tended to end up in low-paying jobs. The authors believe that they may choose less demanding jobs to relieve stress. However, their jobs actually cause more stress in the form of low pay, little control over decisions, and job insecurity.

Labels: mental_health, jobs, careers

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If parents suffer from depression, anxiety, or panic disorders, their children are at risk for multiple anxiety disorders, according to a new study from Harvard University.

Dr. Joseph Biederman, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, compared four groups: children of parents with panic disorder but not depression, children of parents with major depression without panic disorder, children of parents with both maladies, and children of parents with neither one. Parental panic disorder was linked to increased risk for panic disorder and agoraphobia in children, and parental depression was linked to social phobia, depression, disruptive behavior disorders, and poor social functioning in children.

"Recognizing that children at a very young age can be at high- risk for emotional distress can go a long way toward doing something for them in early life," Dr. Biederman said.

This study appears in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Labels: depression, genetics, mental_health

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Although the rate of teen suicides is up, the actual number of teenagers who commit suicide remains small, according to Dr. Nancy Rappaport of Harvard Medical School.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages 14 to 24. The rate for suicides was 6.7 per 100,000 in 2003 compared to 9.4 per 100,000 in 2007. The number of suicides tripled between the late 1960s to the late 1980s, but dropped 30% since the early 1990s. Many scientists believe that decrease was due to the use of anti-depressant drugs.

However, Dr. Rappaport, an expert on teen suicide, said there is no way to determine if teen suicides have increased because of "black box" warnings on drug labels mandated by the FDA in 2005.

The vast majority of teens who commit suicide are mentally ill. A 1987 study of 170 suicide victims found that 90% had mental disorders. Suicide is also associated with drug abuse. Teens most frequently commit suicide with guns, followed by drug overdoses and hangings.

If your child shows five of these symptoms, it is a good idea to take him to the doctor for an evaluation. Signs of suicidal ideation are excessive sleeping, irritability, depression, restlessness, lack of interest in friends and family, lack of interest in usual activities, loss of appetite, and a drop in school performance.

Your family doctor or therapist might recommend a residential treatment center for your teen. Island View is an adolescent treatment center that offers children a place to work through their emotions while earning school credits.

Labels: suicide, mental_health, residential_treatment_centers

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Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a link between teenage dating violence and health problems like binge eating, cigarette smoking, alcohol and marijuana use, and depression.

Dr. Diann Ackard of the University of Minnesota surveyed 23 boys and 102 girls who had experienced dating violence and compared their health to that of 671 boys and 102 girls without such a history in interviews in 1999 and then again in 2004.

Dr. Ackard, writing in the Journal of Pediatrics, reports that about 20% of teenage girls and 10% of teenage boys are abused sexually or physically by dating partners every year.

Concerned your teen may be suffering from depression? Visit AboutTeenDepression.com to learn more.

Labels: violence, mental_health, dating

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Nationally known forensic psychiatrist Dr. Carl Greiner says that, while warning signs are always there before emotionally troubled people act out, our society is still learning how to respond to those signs. A young person who's exhibiting warning signs should be evaluated immediately by a mental health professional.

"Americans probably delay too long, Greiner said, in strongly recommending that disturbed young people be evaluated. 'Part of the great American tradition of liberty is that we tend to be very hesitant about doing that,' he said."

But incidents like the mall shooting which took place in Omaha, Nebraska a couple of weeks ago bring into question the balance between public safety and individual liberty. Someone who's suicidal is also at risk of hurting other people. Experts urge the general public to use crisis centers and hotlines to get help either for themselves or others who may be in trouble.

If you fear your teen may be depressed or suicidal, get them help immediately! Learn about therapeutic boarding schools so you can get your teenager they help they so desperately need.

Labels: mental_health, warning_signs, treatment_programs

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Mental disorders can be difficult to diagnose in teenagers. Because the adolescent years are already emotional and tumultuous, changes in personality, or extreme mood swings are considered typical teen "growing pains". But how can parents know for sure?

"[Dr. Kristin Cadenhead] urges parents to get their children evaluated by a mental health expert if they exhibit noticeable changes in thoughts, behavior or emotions... 'We don't want to alarm an individual or a family. More than 70 percent of young people who appear (to be in distress) will not necessarily develop a psychotic disorder,' she says. 'Our goal is to identify a psychotic illness before it fully starts, so we can intervene earlier and help prevent some of the devastating effects of the illness.'

"The key for parents is paying attention to changes in their children's moods and behaviors. If changes seem to be extreme, solicit the help of a professional. This may mean having the child evaluated, or may simply mean having a conversation with someone who can help you better understand your child.

A good residential treatment program, like Youth Care in Utah, can help diagnosis troubled teens and then create a treatment plan. Visit www.youthcare.com to learn more.

Labels: brain_chemistry, emotional_issues, mental_health

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About 50% of all mental illnesses develop by the time a person is 14 year old. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly 21% of teenagers will develop treatable psychiatric illnesses. If left untreated, the illnesses are more likely to continue into adulthood.

"One advocate for primary care teen mental health screening is Kathleen Delaney, RN, DNSc,... 'Screening alerts you to risk and the need to send a patient for more in-depth [evaluation],' she says."

She suggests that a general screen can and should be included with a high school physical exam. Read more at News.Nurse.com.

The programs for troubled teens offered at Island View help young people identify their issues and then work on them in a caring, nurturing environment.

Labels: mental_health, psychiatric_illness, treatment_programs

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When a young person enters a doctor's office today, he or she is likely to walk out with a prescription. Because managed-care organizations are less likely to pay for psychotherapy and family interventions, prescription medication is quickly becoming the "therapy of choice" for troubled teens.

"...a study published in Psychiatric Services showed one of every 10 office visits to a primary-care or specialty provider made by boys between the ages of 14 and 18 resulted in an order for psychotropic medication - even though up to a quarter of the time no diagnosis of a mental illness was recorded."

Another survey of child and adolescent psychiatrists who were just starting their careers showed that nine out of ten young people who visited these doctors left with a drug prescription. The increase of prescribed medication and decrease of time spent with psychologists and family therapist has some in the medical community concerned that we're beginning to take the easy way out and are never really addressing the root problems. Read more at My.Brandeis.edu.

If you really want to help your troubled teen and get to the root of whatever emotional or behavioral problems he or she is dealing with, then look into having your teen fully assessed. The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment is a licensed residential treatment center that offers families solutions. Your teenager will be given comprehensive tests to get a clear picture of their needs and then a reliable treatment plan. Learn more at the Aspen Institute for Behavioral Institute.

Labels: mental_health, treatment_programs, medictions

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'Cutting', the act of intentionally making cuts in the skin with a razor, knife or other sharp object as a way of coping with strong emotions, came to the forefront of our society in the 1990s, when Princess Diana admitted she'd practiced this form of self-mutilation. Since then, thousands of young people have admitted to using this same practice to deal with the anxiety of school, depression over a failed relationship, or more serious troubles at home.

"More and more teenagers are seeking relief from daily pressures by hurting themselves, and cutting seems to be the injury of choice. 'We see it every year,' Hickman High School guidance director Ann Landes said."

Though some cutters are simply vying for attention, most feel it's the only way they can cope with intense emotions or anxiety. When parents discover their child has been cutting, the first reaction is often anger. Some will ground their children or take away other privileges like use of a car or cell phone. But the only thing that will really help is counseling. The teen needs to learn better, more productive coping mechanisms. Read more at ColumbiaTribune.com.

Learn more about the Emotional Pain and Cutting that many troubled teens face at ByParents-ForParents.com. ByParents-ForParents.com offers articles, advice, and help for parents of troubled teens.

Labels: emotional_issues, mental_health, self-harm

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A recent federal study has found that New Hampshire is one of ten states that ranked higher than the national average for instances of teen depression. While the national average is 8.8 percent, New Hampshire averaged between 9.4 and 10.4 percent along with Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Main, Nevada, Utah and Washington.

"Symptoms of a 'major depressive episode' include a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure for two weeks or longer, and changes in sleeping, eating, energy, concentration and self-image, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

Some mental health experts have questioned the study, but agree that teen depression is a national problem that can be difficult to understand. Read more at NashuaTelegraph.com.

Labels: depression, mental_health, studies

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Dr. Robert Chalfant, medical director of Colorado West Mental Health and child adolescent psychiatrist says it's time to take mental health issues as seriously as things like high blood pressure and diabetes. The causes, he says, are the same  genetics and environment  for both mental and physical illnesses, but because of the stigma associated with mental health issues, many go untreated.

"Throughout the U.S., 15 million children and adolescents suffer from a serious emotional or mental disorder, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. And when left untreated, youth mental illnesses are associated with higher rates of academic failure, school drop-outs, problems at home, substance abuse and crime."

When a young person is properly diagnosed and seeks treatment, he or she is laying the foundation needed to deal with the disorder as an adult. And because most mental health issues don't disappear in adulthood, learning to cope is important. Read more at VailDaily.com.

Some of the best high school boarding schools are listed at TeenBoardingSchools.com. Private boarding schools, military boarding schools, and other residential schools are all listed at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: behavioral_issues, mental_health, treatment_programs

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The FDA has expanded it's "black box" warning on antidepressant medications to include not only teens, but young adults up to 24 years old. The new warning calls for weekly face-to-face contact with patients, their family members or caregivers during the first four weeks of treatment, as thoughts of suicide may increase in young adults who are taking antidepressant medication.

"A study released last year showed that 66 percent of children and teens did not see a clinician for a follow-up in the first four weeks after their antidepressant therapy began."

The American Psychiatric Association lauded the FDA's recommendation. Read more at PalmBeachPost.com.

Depressed teenagers can benefit from equine therapy. Learn more about equine therapy at Copper Canyon Academy.

Labels: depression, mental_health, medictions

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Young teens with chronic headaches are more likely to have psychiatric disorders, according to a survey of 8,000 teenagers in Taiwan.

Teens whose headaches lasted two hours and occurred more than 15 days a month were more likely to suffer from depression, panic disorders and suicide attempts.

"Teens with chronic daily headache should be screened for psychiatric disorders so they can get the treatment and help they need," according to author Dr. Shuu-Jiun Wang of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine in Taipei, Taiwan.

Labels: mental_health, psychiatric_illness, disorders

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Children under eight years old with mental health problems benefit from using support services, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

• Researchers found that 31 percent of the children showed decreases in their behavioral and emotional problems within the first six months of using a care system. 
• One-third of their caregivers reported fewer disruptions in family routines and fewer missed days of work within the first six months.
• The caregivers also said they had fewer feelings of sadness and isolation.

Previous government studies found that good social skills among kindergartners are linked to doing better in school, which can be another justification for early intervention. Young people who receive age-appropriate mental health services for issues such as adolescent depression are more likely to finish high school and less likely to get involved with legal authorities.
 

Labels: children, mental_health

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

A youth survey in California found that most students feel stressed by the pressures of school, and few of them feel they get the help or attention they need. The survey was conducted by a youth advisory committee that talked to about 180 students in the Santa Clara area.

“Without proper help or understanding from adults, [KC Ham] said, teens ‘turn to a lot of different things to cope, and they’re not usually the right things.’ Drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, sleep problems, conflicts with parents and friends and, in extreme cases, suicide can all be linked to some kind of stress, Ham said.” [Source: Silicon Valley Mercury News]

Of the students surveyed, 75 percent said they were trying to cope with school-related stress. Over 60 percent said school personnel (teachers, principals, etc) aren’t effective at helping kids learn healthy ways of coping.

 

Labels: mental_health, students

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Young people in San Bernardino County who are in trouble with the law and are also suffering from mental disorders often find themselves in juvenile detention. Unfortunately, it’s not a place that can provide the kind of help these adolescents and teenagers need.

Experts estimate that from 40 percent to 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system suffer from some form of mental health disorder or an illness – anything from ADHD to full blown psychosis. About 15 percent to 25 percent have mental illnesses "severe enough to significantly impair their ability to function." [Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin]

The Department of Behavioral Health has implemented a new program aimed at taking better care of mentally ill youth. Called the Integrated New Family Opportunities program, it provides 24-hour case management and family support for after the kids are released. There is still, however, the issue of how best to care for kids who are still in the system.

 

Labels: mental_health, jails

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Teenagers who use the Internet too much are more likely to be depressed, especially if they surf the Net as entertainment, according to a new study from China.

Researchers from the Chinese Education Ministry studied the Internet habits of 1401 teenagers, and found that about 6 percent were using the Internet in "pathological" ways. When the researchers followed up nine months later, the teens addicted to the web were one and a half times more likely to feel or develop depression.

"The results suggest that young people who are initially free of mental health problems, but use the Internet pathologically could develop depression as a consequence," the authors wrote in a report published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

The teens in this study most likely to be addicted to the Internet were more likely to use it for entertainment rather than for studying or gathering information.
 

Labels: mental_health, internet, depresion, online_safety

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

A new study out of Finland has found that teens who engage in cyberbullying, and the teens they bully, are more likely to suffer from emotional and mental health issues. The research team surveyed over 2,200 teenagers for their study.

“Compared to teens who didn’t engage in [cyberbullying], they were also more prone to suffering from emotional, concentration and behavior problems. In addition, they had trouble getting along with others and often suffered from hyperactivity and conduct problems. Cyberbullies also frequently smoked or got drunk, reported headaches, and were more prone to not feeling safe at school…” [Source: Health Day News]

Cyberbullying victims have similar behavioral and emotional issues, and are also more likely to come from broken homes. Though the study found a connection between these issues and cyberbullying, it didn’t find a conclusive cause-and-effect relationship.

 

Labels: bullying, cyberbullying, mental_health

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A study of college students and mental illness found that more students are coming to campus with pre-existing conditions such as bipolar disorder and depression. Although these are serious illnesses, the research indicates that better treatments may be enabling more of them to overcome their illnesses and succeed at college.

• Researchers from Hofstra University in New York studied the records of 3256 college students who used counseling services between 1997 and 2009.
• In 1998, 93% of the students had at least one mental disorder, but by 2009, that had increased to 96%.
• The number of students on psychiatric medicines increased by ten percentage points in the 12-year period.

"The percentage of students with moderate to severe depression has gone up from 34% to 41%," said Dr. John Guthman, lead author. "These outliers often require significantly more resources and may contribute greatly to the misperception that the average student is in distress."

One positive finding was that the number of students who thought about suicide declined by more than half.

The study was presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association.
 

Labels: bipolar, mental_health, depresion, college

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments

Depressed people may actually have bipolar disorder even if they don't experience full-blown episodes of mania, according to a new study from the National Institute of Mental Health. The study found that depressed people who have short episodes of increased energy and activity and especially those with a family history of bipolar disorder are at risk for the disease themselves.

• The old thinking was that bipolar disease is characterized by depression followed by episodes of mania that last several weeks or months.
• During the "manic" phase of bipolar disease, the person may go without sleep, have increased levels of energy and activity, speeded-up thinking and euphoria.
• Then the person "crashes" into depression, often accompanied by suicidal thoughts.
• This new study indicates that depressed people who experience low levels of mania, even an episode lasts just a few hours or days, may actually have bipolar disease.
• Dr. Kathleen Merikangas, an investigator with the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health in Maryland, used information about mood disorders gathered from more than 5000 households in her study.
• Dr. Merikangas said that people who have up-and-down shifts in moods, even ones that are short, should be evaluated by mental health professionals.

"There is a continuous shading from pure depression to classic bipolar disorder," said Dr. Gregory Simon, a psychiatrist and chair of the scientific advisory board of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. "This study gives stronger evidence for that continuous shading and demonstrates more clearly that milder symptoms of hypomania are truly related to bipolar disorder."

The study appears in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
 

Labels: depression, bipolar, mental_health

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

A study from the University of Cambridge in Great Britain found that teaching teenagers "mindfulness" improved their mental health. Mindfulness training is often incorporated into residential recovery programs for issues such as trauma and eating disorders.

• Professor Felicia Huppert and her colleagues studied 155 boys ages 14 to 15 years old, who took a one month class in mindfulness.
• Mindfulness is awareness of what is happening at any given moment, and experiencing everything without making judgments.
• The class consisted of four-40 minute classes, and the boys were asked to practice mindfulness at home.
• The research team tested the class participants, as well as a control group that did not take the course, before and after the program.

The boys who took the courses had increased feelings of well-being and more positive emotions such as contentment, being interested, and feeling affectionate. Boys who had high levels of anxiety and those who practiced the most often achieved the greatest benefits.

"We believe that these mindfulness training can enhance well-being in a number of ways," said Dr. Huppert. "If you practice being in the present, you can increase positive feelings by savoring pleasurable ongoing experiences. Additionally, calming the mind and observing experiences with curiosity and acceptance not only reduces stress but helps with attention, control, and emotional regulation -- skills which are valuable, both inside and outside the classroom."

She said that as a result of this study, state and private schools are initiating an eight-week curriculum in mindfulness training.
 

Labels: mental_health, mindfulness

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Mentally ill people do not commit more crimes than anyone else. However, they are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and substance abusers commit more violent crime, according to a new study from Europe.

• Dr. Seena Fazel analyzed records that went back thirty years of 8,000 people with schizophrenia and 3700 who have bipolar disorder.
• All participants lived in Sweden.
• The main finding of the study was "the relationship between violent crime and serious mental illness can be explained by alcohol and substance abuse. If you take away the substance abuse, the contribution of the illness itself is minimal."

People with mental illness who abuse substances have crime rates six to seven times higher than the general population. However, this rate is the same for all substance abusers.

"It's probably more dangerous walking outside a pub on a late night than walking outside a hospital where patients have been released," said Dr. Fazel, a lecturer and psychiatrist at the University of Oxford in Great Britain.

This study appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Labels: violence, mental_health, drug_use, substance_abuse, alcohol_abuse

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

More teenagers today are suffering from mental health challenges than physical conditions, including diabetes and asthma, according to a new survey from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Psychiatric problems affect one in five adolescents, and about half will meet the criteria for some disorder at least once in their lifetimes.

• Dr. Kathleen Merikangas and her colleagues analyzed data from the National Comorbidity Study-Adolescent Supplement, which includes surveys of more than 10,000 teenagers ages 13 to 18 years old.
• They found that 11% had mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder, 10% had behavioral disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity, and 8% had anxiety.
• All of these were considered "severely impaired."
• Most of these problems began before age 13 years old, except for substance abuse, which started around age 15. Children of parents with less education or who were divorced were at higher risk for mental disorders.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
 

Labels: mental_health, mental_illness, teenagers

Posted By: Troubled Teens 1 Comment

Teenagers with psychiatric disorders are more likely to be sexually active and at higher risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, according to a new study from Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center.

• Lead author Larry Brown and his colleagues studied 840 teenagers, average age 15 years old, from Providence, Atlanta, and Chicago.
• Among the group were 150 teenagers with mania, 48 with internalizing disorders, 282 with externalizing disorders, 252 with more than one diagnosis, and 105 in mental health treatment for unspecified reasons.
• These teens were much more likely to be sexually active, to have more partners than any average, and to have sexually transmitted diseases.
• Over 30% had engaged in sex within the past three months, with 15% having four or more partners. Fourteen percent had a sexually-transmitted disease.

The main finding of the study was that teens with certain psychiatric disorders were more likely to engage in risky sex. These were teens in the manic stage of bipolar disorder, and teens with externalizing disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and defiant or hostile behaviors, like stealing.

"Increased sexual risk-taking may be linked to these disorders because they are often associated with impulsive or reckless behaviors, which could include multiple sexual partners or not using condoms regularly," said Dr. Brown. "... The sexual risk behavior of teens with these diagnoses should be carefully and routinely screened as part of their mental health treatment."

This study appears in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
 

Labels: sex, mental_health, sexually transmitted_diseases

Posted By: CRC Health 1 Comment

Teens who have frequent unexplained pain such as severe stomach aches may be suffering from a range of problems, from physical maladies to stress, anxiety and/or depression.

And according to a Dec. 26 article by Dr. Peter Gott, the problem could be due to a little-known condition called Pain Associated Disability Syndrome (or PADS):

 

Pain-associated disability syndrome is a fairly new term. It is defined as chronic pain that causes more severe restrictions than what the underlying condition would cause.

Imagine not being able to use your arm because of a sliver in your finger. This is essentially what PADS does. A usually minor condition, such as acid reflux, suddenly causes severe pain, nausea, vomiting and an inability to eat and do other normal daily activities. Normal treatment fails, and there is no other explanation for the severity of symptoms.

I found one small analysis of 40 patients ages 7 to 21. Thirty had abdominal pain, five had regurgitation, three had nausea, and two had chest pain. All met symptom-based criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux.

Thirty-nine of the people also had trouble sleeping. Most underwent mental-health evaluations to rule out eating disorders and psychosis.

Labels: health, mental_health

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