Mood & Anxiety Disorders

 

An individual is more likely to suffer from a mental illness than from leukemia, diabetes and AIDS combined in the​ United States--a sad truth that parents, educators, and suffers often overlook.

 

What is depression?

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Depression is one of the mental, emotional, and behavior disorders that can appear during childhood and adolescence. This type of depression affects a young person's thoughts, feelings, behavior, and body. Depression is serious; it is more than "the blues." Depression can lead to school and employment difficulties, alcohol or other drug use, and even suicide.

 

What are the signs of depression?

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Young people with depression may have a hard time coping with everyday activities and responsibilities, have difficulty getting along with others, and suffer from low self-esteem. Signs of depression often include:

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• sadness that won't go away

• hopelessness, boredom

• unexplained irritability or crying

• ​loss of interest in usual activities

• ​changes in eating or sleeping habits

• alcohol or substance abuse

• missed school or poor school performance

• ​threats or attempts to run away from home

• outbursts of shouting, complaining

• reckless behavior

• aches and pains that don't get better with treatment

• ​thoughts about death or suicide

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Adolescents with depression are likely to identify themselves as depressed before their parents suspect a problem. The same may be true for children.

 

What can parents do?

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Make careful notes about the behaviors that concern them. Note how long the behaviors have been going on, how often they occur, and how severe they seem.

 

Make an appointment with a mental health professional for evaluation and diagnosis.

Get accurate information from libraries, hotlines, or other sources.

Ask questions about treatments and services.

Talk to other families in their community.

​Find family network organizations.

 

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

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Bipolar disorder is characterized by persistent, overwhelming, and uncontrollable changes in moods, activities, thoughts, and behaviors. A child has a much greater chance of having bipolar disorder if there is a family history of the disorder or depression.

Although bipolar disorder affects at least 750,000 children in the United States, it is often difficult to recognize and diagnose in children. If left untreated, the disorder puts a child at risk for school failure, drug abuse, and suicide. That is why it is important that you seek the advice of a qualified professional when trying to find out if your child has bipolar disorder.

 

Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be mistaken for other medical/mental health conditions, and children with bipolar disorder can have other mental health needs at the same time. Other disorders that can occur at the same time as bipolar disorder include, but are not limited to, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, anxiety disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, and drug abuse disorders. The roles that a family’s culture and language play in how causes and symptoms are perceived and then described to a mental health care provider are important, too. Misperceptions and misunderstandings can lead to delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses, or no diagnoses—which are serious problems when a child needs help. Once bipolar disorder is properly diagnosed, treatment can begin to help children and adolescents with bipolar disorder live productive and fulfilling lives.

 

What Are the Signs of Bipolar Disorder?

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Unlike some health problems where different people experience the same symptoms, children experience bipolar disorder differently. Often, children with the illness experience mood swings that alternate, or cycle, between periods of “highs” and “lows,” called “mania” and “depression,” with varying moods in between. These cycles can happen much more rapidly than in adults, sometimes occurring many times within a day. Mental health experts differ in their interpretation of what symptoms children experience. The following are commonly reported signs of bipolar disorder:

 

• Excessively elevated moods alternating with periods of depressed or irritable moods;

• Periods of high, goal-directed activity, and/or physical agitation;

• Racing thoughts and speaking very fast;

• Unusual/erratic sleep patterns and/or a decreased need for sleep;

• Difficulty settling as babies;

• Severe temper tantrums, sometimes called “rages”;

• Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities, daredevil behavior, and/or grandiose, “super-confident” thinking and behaviors;

• Impulsivity and/or distractibility;

• Inappropriate sexual activity, even at very young ages;

• Hallucinations and/or delusions;

• Suicidal thoughts and/or talks of killing self; and

• ​Inflexible, oppositional/defiant, and extremely irritable behavior.

 

What are anxiety disorders?

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Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders typically experience intense fear, worry, or uneasiness that can last for long periods of time and significantly affect their lives. If not treated early, anxiety disorders can lead to:

 

Repeated school absences or an inability to finish school;

Impaired relations with peers;

Low self-esteem;

Alcohol or other drug use;

Problems adjusting to work situations; and

Anxiety disorder in adulthood.

 

What are the types and signs of anxiety disorders?

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 Many different anxiety disorders affect children and adolescents. Several disorders and their signs are described below:

 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

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Children and adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder engage in extreme, unrealistic worry about everyday life activities. They worry unduly about their academic performance, sporting activities, or even about being on time. Typically, these young people are very self-conscious, feel tense, and have a strong need for reassurance. They may complain about stomachaches or other discomforts that do not appear to have any physical cause.

 

Separation Anxiety Disorder

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Children with separation anxiety disorder often have difficulty leaving their parents to attend school or camp, stay at a friend's house, or be alone. Often, they "cling" to parents and have trouble falling asleep. Separation anxiety disorder may be accompanied by depression, sadness, withdrawal, or fear that a family member might die. About one in every 25 children experiences separation anxiety disorder.

 

Phobias

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Children and adolescents with phobias have unrealistic and excessive fears of certain situations or objects. Many phobias have specific names, and the disorder usually centers on animals, storms, water, heights, or situations, such as being in an enclosed space. Children and adolescents with social phobias are terrified of being criticized or judged harshly by others. Young people with phobias will try to avoid the objects and situations they fear, so the disorder can greatly restrict their lives. 

 

Panic Disorder

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Repeated "panic attacks" in children and adolescents without an apparent cause are signs of a panic disorder. Panic attacks are periods of intense fear accompanied by a pounding heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, nausea, or a feeling of imminent death. The experience is so scary that young people live in dread of another attack. Children and adolescents with the disorder may go to great lengths to avoid situations that may bring on a panic attack. They also may not want to go to school or to be separated from their parents.

 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

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Children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder, sometimes called OCD, become trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Even though they may recognize that the thoughts or behaviors appear senseless and distressing, the pattern is very hard to stop. Compulsive behaviors may include repeated hand washing, counting, or arranging and rearranging objects. About two in every 100 adolescents experience obsessive-compulsive disorder (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999).

 

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Children and adolescents can develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after they experience a very stressful event. Such events may include experiencing physical or sexual abuse; being a victim of or witnessing violence; or living through a disaster, such as a bombing or hurricane. Young people with post-traumatic stress disorder experience the event over and over through strong memories, flashbacks, or other kinds of troublesome thoughts. As a result, they may try to avoid anything associated with the trauma. They also may overreact when startled or have difficulty sleeping.

 

How common are anxiety disorders?

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Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental, emotional, and behavioral problems to occur during childhood and adolescence. About 13 of every 100 children and adolescents ages 9 to 17 experience some kind of anxiety disorder; girls are affected more than boys. About half of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders have a second anxiety disorder or other mental or behavioral disorder, such as depression. In addition, anxiety disorders may coexist with physical health conditions requiring treatment.

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Who is at risk?

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Researchers have found that the basic temperament of young people may play a role in some childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders. For example, some children tend to be very shy and restrained in unfamiliar situations, a possible sign that they are at risk for developing an anxiety disorder. Research in this area is very complex, because children's fears often change as they age.

 

Researchers also suggest watching for signs of anxiety disorders when children are between the ages of 6 and 8. During this time, children generally grow less afraid of the dark and imaginary creatures and become more anxious about school performance and social relationships. An excessive amount of anxiety in children this age may be a warning sign for the development of anxiety disorders later in life.

 

Studies suggest that children or adolescents are more likely to have an anxiety disorder if they have a parent with anxiety disorders. However, the studies do not prove whether the disorders are caused by biology, environment, or both. More data are needed to clarify whether anxiety disorders can be inherited.

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What help is available for young people with anxiety disorders?

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Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders can benefit from a variety of treatments and services. Following an accurate diagnosis, possible treatments include:

Cognitive-behavioral treatment, in which young people learn to deal with fears by modifying the ways they think and behave;

Relaxation techniques;

Biofeedback (to control stress and muscle tension);

Family therapy;

Parent training; and

Medication

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While cognitive-behavioral approaches are effective in treating some anxiety disorders, medications work well with others. Some people with anxiety disorders benefit from a combination of these treatments. More research is needed to determine what treatments work best for the various types of anxiety disorders.

 

What can parents do?

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If parents or other caregivers notice repeated symptoms of an anxiety disorder in their child or adolescent, they should:

 

Talk with the child's health care provider. He or she can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by an anxiety disorder or by some other condition and can also provide a referral to a mental health professional.

Look for a mental health professional trained in working with children and adolescents, who has used cognitive-behavioral or behavior therapy and has prescribed medications for this disorder, or has cooperated with a physicianwho does.

Get accurate information from libraries, hotlines, or other sources.

Ask questions about treatments and services.

Talk with other families in their communities.

Find family network organizations.

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