How Mental Illness Affects Adolescence

A mental illness is any psychiatric disorder that causes untypical behaviour. Many people are unaware of the mental illnesses that affect adolescence. Mental illnesses can affect adolescences mood, thinking and behaviour, examples of the most common mental illness includes depression and anxiety. “Popular media tends to perpetuate the idea that the prevalence of mental disorders is increasing (McMartin, 2014)”. “About one half of adult mental health issues start before the mid-teens, and often treatment does not occur or is delayed until well into adulthood (Tramonte & Willms, 2010)”. Adolescence normally have organizations that can benefit and support them, whether it be in the community or through school programs. Teenagers are normally affected
Someone with generalized anxiety disorder usually is constantly distracting from their daily activities if they have a constant feeling something bad is going to happen, and a feeling of fear, nervousness or worry. “People with GAD are chronic worrywarts who feel anxious nearly all of the time, though they may not even know why. Anxiety related to GAD often shows up as physical symptoms like insomnia, stomach upset, restlessness, and fatigue (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2016)”. Another common disorder that is connected to anxiety disorders is panic disorders, a panic disorder is characterized by repeated, unexpected panic attacks, as well as fear of experiencing another episode. “A panic disorder may also be accompanied by agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in places where escape or help would be difficult in the event of a panic attack (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2016)”. “The essential feature of the panic attack is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort that is accompanied by at least 4 of 13 physical symptoms, such as sweating, shaking, chest pain, increased heart rate, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, and chills or hot flashes (American Psychiatric Association, 2002)”. Obsessive-compulsive
Someone with OCD experiences unreasonable thoughts and fears which are known as obsessions that lead the person to do repetitive behaviours including hand washing multiple times which is compulsions, obsessions and compulsions can result in distress and difficulty with daily activities. “Social anxiety disorder is the exposure to social or performance situations almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response that may include palpitations, tremors, sweating, gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhoea, muscle tension, blushing or confusion, and which may meet criteria for a panic attack in severe cases (American Psychiatric Association, 2002)”. Specific phobias are also related to anxiety disorders, which are unrealistic or exaggerated fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that in reality presents little to no danger. “Common phobias include fear of flying, fear of animals and fear of heights (Smith, Robinson &