• Home
  • Blue Ribbon
  • Pictures
  • Calendars
    • District Activities
    • HS/MS Calendar
  • Pages
    • Band
    • District Website
New Haven Banner
Contact us:

Illness Isn't Just Physical: Mental Health Awareness

4/14/2016

 
Picture
By Bethany Thomas

One in five teens will develop a mental health disorder, with most problems beginning by the age of 15, according to an article on mental health on medicinenet.com.

Many parents watch their kids go through four years of high school without realizing their kid is mentally ill. Mental illnesses are often go unnoticed because they are not as obvious as a physical illness.


Emily Lewis, junior at New Haven High School, stated, “People just don’t view them as important as physical illnesses.”

There is a wide range of different mental illnesses that may have similar symptoms but are very different. ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders are all categorized as mental illnesses.

Anxiety disorders are the most common of psychiatric diagnoses. Anxiety disorders are characterized by feelings of fear about future events, and fear is a reaction to current events.

People with anxiety experience physical (racing heart, sweating), emotional (panic, stress), behavioral (nervous habits, compulsions), and cognitive (racing thoughts, obsessions) symptoms. Many of these symptoms are similar to the body's normal "fight-or-flight" response to a dangerous situation.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) includes problems of not being able to focus, being overactive, not being able control behavior, or a combination of all of these. If not treated appropriately, ADHD may lead to drug and alcohol abuse, failure in school, problems keeping a job, and troubles with the law.

Irritability, poor concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are all symptoms that go along with ADHD.  

“Growing up with ADHD has been a huge struggle. I used to put myself down because I couldn’t understand why it took so much of myself to actually focus and getting something down while everyone else made it look so simple.” Christian Thomas, victim of ADHD, reported.

Teen depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how teenagers think, feel and behave, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems.

Teens with depression may sleep excessively, change eating habits, and may be involved in criminal activities such as stealing or using drugs.

Bipolar disorder is a serious brain illness. Bipolar disorder is not the same as the normal ups and downs every kid goes through. Bipolar symptoms are more powerful than that. The symptoms are so strong that they can make it hard for a teenager to do well in school or get along with friends and family members.

Rushed speech, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, poor judgment, impulsivity, and switching topics frequently are all signs of a bipolar disorder; these signs should not be ignored.

Recovery from mental illness symptoms is quicker for people who feel supported by those around them.

You don’t have to be a therapist or counselor; you just have to be supportive and understanding to help the person suffering from a mental health disorder.

www.nami.org is a website on National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is a nonprofit, self-help support organization of individuals with mental disorders and their families. It provides resources on mental disorders, including support groups, education, and training.

“People with a mental illness are just like people with a physical illness except they are expected to act like there is nothing wrong because they can’t exactly prove that there is actually something wrong,” stated Kristie Johnson, ER nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

“Many wouldn’t expect someone with the flu to go to school when they can barely get out of bed, so someone with a mental illness that can barely get out of bed should be treated with the same expectations,” Johnson also stated.

Other possible warning signs of a mental illness include changes in physical health or appearance, including weight gain or loss; neglecting personal hygiene; a new group of friends; difficulty coping with problems and daily activities; persistent nightmares; alcohol and/or drug abuse; frequent outbursts of aggression or anger; threats of harm to themselves or others; self-injury or self-destructive behavior; and threatening to run away.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Book/TV/Movie Reviews
    Clubs/Activities
    Community
    Editorials
    Elementary School
    Feature Stories
    High School
    In The Classroom
    Literary Corner
    Middle School
    Scholar Bowl
    Sports
    Student Council
    Student Spotlight
    Teacher Spotlight
    Trend Stories
    Upcoming Events

Location

New Haven Banner

This site is a news resource for the New Haven, MO community. News on this site is provided by the students and staff in the New Haven School District.  

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have information you want posted or a story idea for our journalism students.

Contact Us

Subscribe

Join our mailing list today!
Join Now