FG Snapshot

Future Generations

Diagnostic, Treatment & Evaluation Center

A Psychological Services Clinic

MENTAL HEALTH: A SNAPSHOT

Untreated mental and behavioral health conditions exact an enormous toll on individuals, families, friends, and society. Sources estimate $70 billion in direct treatment costs per year for mental health services alone. So-called "indirect costs" are even greater. Indirect costs include serious, life-altering negative experiences, such as reduced motivation, lost productivity, school and work absenteeism, increased sick time, increased school discipline and brushes with the law, need for public assistance, property damage, and more.

Virtually all mental health conditions involve environmental, social, and behavioral factors, and many involve a genetic component. Truly effective treatment typically addresses as many of these areas as necessary and may involve a team of professionals, each with an area of expertise.

Mental Health and Medication

Despite a societal bend toward "quick fix" and "magic bullet" mentalities in many parents and even some professionals, not all mental health disorders require medication for successful outcomes. Treatment research shows that for many conditions talk-therapy (psychotherapy) does as much good--often more good--than medication alone, especially when there's minimal impairment.

Medication corrects neurochemical imbalances, which, for some people, is vitally important to establish a solid mental health foundation. But a bottle of pills won't address your relationships, your thinking patterns, your behavioral patterns, or your coping skills, nor do pills provide the skills and personal growth necessary for cultivating mental health and quality of life in the long term.

Even for serious conditions that will require appropriate medication, the chemical component is only one component. Even in these cases, treatment research shows that medication and psychotherapy often result in the best improvements and the most durable long-term treatment successes.

Mental Health: The Challenge

The biggest challenge in mental health is stigma. Two big contributors to stigma are: 1) lack of information and understanding; and 2) fear--fear of the unknown and fear of "weird," "crazy," or "abnormal" behaviors. In some cases, stigma leads to an utter void of compassion or, sadly, hostiility and discrimination.

Truth is, a person struggling with a mental health condition is absolutely no different than a person struggling with a physical health condition. In fact, coping with a mental health condition, in many ways, is harder, due to the widespread stigma and others' lack of understanding and fear. Mental health disorders, like physical health disorders, are real and not under our direct control. Honestly, if someone could will themselves to stop feeling depressed, to stop hearing voices, to move past a trauma...don't you think they would?

Likewise, diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, in many ways, is more difficult than diagnosing and treating physical health conditions. There aren't any short-cuts, like blood tests, X-rays, or tissue samples, and successful treatment is often multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted, relying in large measure on building mental, emotional, and social "order" while treating the "disorder." While developing a mental health condition is beyond your direct, conscious control, your prognosis and treatment success depends in some measure on the behavioral decisions and lifestyle choices you make. Just like some physical ailments, such as diabetes, where what you do (or fail to do) can be your health's biggest ally--or biggest enemy. So it is with mental health: One's individual motivation and willingness to embrace healthy, lifestyle-based, behavioral change often has a dramatic and direct impact on treatment success.

Mental Health: The Facts

Untreated mental health disorders put children and teens at risk for school and work failure, drug abuse, suicide, and a lifetime of chronically impaired and dysfunctional relationships. That's why it's important to seek the advice of qualified professionals when trying to sort out how to best help your child.

Consider this:

21% of all American children and teens, at any given time, have a diagnosable mental health disorder with at least mild impairment
13% have a diagnosable Anxiety disorder
10.3% have a disruptive Behavior disorder
6.2% have a Mood disorder
2% have a Substance Abuse disorder

Four very serious mental health conditions--depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder--are in the World's Top 10 leading causes of disability and impairment.

A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH IS OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED. WHILE SOME CHILDREN, LIKE SOME ADULTS, ARE REMARKABLY RESILIENT. RESILIENCY ISN'T IMMUNITY.

ANXIETY DISORDERS
Conditions involving feelings ranging from nervousness, anxiety, and general uneasiness to bouts of sheer terror and immobilizing panic.. May be generalized or specific; for example, related to separation from parents or family members.

ATTENTIONAL & ACTIVITY DISORDERS
Often called ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), it's the most common child and adolescent mental health diagnosis. Characterized by impulsivity, excessive activity, difficulty with social situations, limits in attention and self-control. Sometimes accompanied by behavioral disorders, mood disorders, and other issues. Can lead to more serious impairments.

AUTISM & ASPERGER'S
Two of the most common developmental disorders typically presenting in children before the age of three. Usuallly marked by a constellation of defiicits in social, language, and behavioral functioning, ranging from mild to severe.

BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS
Characterized by a collection of antisocial behaviors and poor coping skills. Usually involves chronic defiance, disruption, and disregard for others. Sometimes accompanied by ADHD, mood disorders, substance abuse, and other conditions. Aka Disruptive Behavior Disorders.

BIPOLAR DISORDER
A serious condition easily mistaken for a variety of other conditions. Marked by a constellation of signs and symptoms including persistent, overwhelming, and uncontrollable changes in moods, activities, thoughts, and behavior that is often risky and self-destructive. A child has a greater chance of having Bipolar if there is a family history of bipolar or depression.

DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS
A collection of mood disorders ranging in severity and marked by a persistent down or "depressed" mood, pervasive sadness or irritability, and diminished engagement in life and pleasurable activities. Especially concerning due to increased suicide risk. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for children and adolescents.

EATING DISORDERS
Serious, sometimes life- threatening conditions that often arise in adolescence. May be chronic and may include other mental health conditions.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and in self-care or adaptive behaviors, typically originating before the age of 18 and not due to an acquired injury, such as a brain injury. Intellectual disability is the current, preferred term for mental retardation. The cause in many cases is unknown, but sometimes there are genetic or environmental factors.

LEARNING DISORDERS
A collection of disorders related to the impairment of learning. Often applies to Reading, but may also apply to Math, Writing, Speaking, and other school-related skills. Sometimes called "Specific Learning Disability" in school settings.

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER
Characterized by recurrent, time-consuming "obsessions" and/or "compulsions" that cause significant distress and impairment. Obsessions may be repetitive intrusive images, thoughts, or impulses. Compulsions are repetitive, sometimes ritualized, behaviors, such as hand-washing or cleaning, which may reduce the obsessive thoughts.

PHOBIAS
Immobilizing, often irrational fears of items, objects, animals, activities, social situations, or even just being out and about in public places. May or may not include Panic Attacks.

PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
A group of serious illnesses that affect the mind and the ability to connect with reality, think clearly, make sound judgments, and behave appropriately. Includes schizophrenia and other conditions. Despite how unusual these conditions appear, they are usually treatable with a team of qualified professionals, strong social supports, and motivation. Genetic components.

SELECTIVE MUTISM
A relatively uncommon manifestation of social anxiety expressed as extreme shyness and an inability to verbally communicate, except in very limited circumstances, such as only at home or only with family members. Individuals are physically able to talk, they just don't due to debilitating anxiety. They can't be forced or tricked into talking. They are not just being shy, nor are they being naughty, defiant, or disrespectful.

SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIORS
More a warning sign than a condition. Involves intentionally injuring and/or disfiguring oneself and is typically related to other mental health conditions. "Cutting" is a common form of self-injurious behavior often seen in adolescents and young adults.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTIONS
Acute or chronic misuse of and/or dependency on one or more substances, including alcohol, illicit drugs, over-the-counter products, and prescription drugs.

STRESS & TRAUMA DISORDERS
Debilitating acute or chronic condition related to one or more traumatic experiences or the long-term effects of unremitting chronic stress. Symptoms may be vague, generalized, and easy to miss or attribute to some other cause.

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS APPEAR SIMPLE ON THE SURFACE, BUT ARE COMPLEX AND VARIED. EVEN MANY SIMPLE CONDITIONS SHARE OVERLAPPING SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND PRESENTATION.