Common Mental Health Conditions in Teens

Depression is a mood disorder that causes feelings of intense sadness or loss of interest in things and activities you used to enjoy. It can also potentially damage your memory, eating habits, sleeping habits, and thinking.

Symptoms May Include:

• Persistent Sadness
• Loss of interest in activities
• Fatigue -Sleep/Appetite Changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Irritability
• Thoughts of death or suicide constantly disrupting daily life

*Keep in mind that symptoms for Depression vary based on the person and their individual experiences and perspectives.

What is Anxiety? Anxiety is when common emotions like worry and fear in response to stress overcome a person an overwhelming amount of time. It becomes a disorder when it's persistent, excessive, and interferes with daily life. Some cases can result in anxiety attacks which is where intense fear and anxiety comes within minutes resulting in trouble breathing, heart rate increasing, etc.

Some Symptoms May Include:

• Intense worry
• Restlessness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Shakyness
• Stomach aches
• Sweating
• Irritability
• Shortness of breath

*Keep in mind that symptoms for Anxiety vary based on the person and their individual experiences and perspectives.

What is an Eating Disorder?: It is a condition defined by harmful eating behaviors, including but not limited to bulimia nervosa (eating large amounts of food, then purging to prevent weight gain), anorexia nervosa (avoiding food and heavily restricting what you eat), and binge-eating disorder (eating large amounts of food past your limit).

Some Symptoms May Include

• Dry skin, thin hair, and brittle nails
• Fine body hair (lanugo)
• Muscle weakness
• Dizziness
• Edema (swelling) in feet
• Obsessing over food or weight
• Refusing to eat certain foods
• Excessive exercise
• Vomiting or using laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills after eating
• Feeling self-conscious about eating behaviors
• Avoiding eating in social settings
• Mood swings

*Keep in mind that symptoms for an ED vary based on the person and their individual experiences and perspectives.

Symptoms May Include:

• Changed behavior
• Taking dangerous risks
• Withdrawing from friends, family, or peers
• Giving away personal Items
• Using drugs or alcohol more often
• Extreme mood swings
• Eating or sleeping abnormally more or less than usual

*Keep in mind that symptoms for Suicidal Thoughts vary based on the person and their individual experiences and perspectives. For crisis resources, please visit our website.