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Resources to recognize and help troubled youths

Adolescence brings changes that often signal mental health issues. Sorting them out from normal changes can be tricky.

Knowing the difference between typical adolescent behavior and behavior that should be cause for concern can be difficult to assess for parents, other family members, and those who care for our youth.

If you are a parent or youth caregiver, you are likely all too familiar with the ups and downs of adolescents - frequent changes in emotions, withdrawing from family, testing limits, and the need for more privacy. Most youths pass through adolescence with relatively little difficulty.

But behaviors that could be signs of a mental health problem too often are written off with, "He'll grow out of it, like we all did" or, "she's just being a typical teenager."

What does the science say about teens and mental health problems? Unlike most disabling physical diseases, mental illness begins very early in life. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14; three-quarters have begun by age 24. Anxiety disorders often begin in late childhood, mood disorders in late adolescence, and substance abuse in the early 20s, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. (Sadly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide is the second-leading cause of death in people ages 15-24).

Of the two million young people struggling with depression, only 39 percent receive treatment. Without early intervention, child and adolescent disorders frequently continue into adulthood.

So how does a parent or youth caregiver "know" when there is cause for concern? A combination of genuine concern and caring coupled with a basic understanding of common mental health problems and symptoms is a good start to helping a teen who may need help.

Mental Health First Aid for Youth is an evidence-based training for everyone who wants to learn the basics of how to assist a young person who may be struggling with a mental health challenge. This one-day course (free at Healthy Minds Philly to adults who live, work, or study in Philadelphia) teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges common among adolescents. For more information, call 215-790-4996.