TERMINOLOGY

Mental Health Challenge: As the World Health Organization says, “There is no health without mental health.” Over their lifetime, not all people will experience a mental health condition or illness, but everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental health at some point in their life. Just like physical health, mental health is not static. A challenge can be time bound, have an external stressor such as loss of a job or loved one, or seemingly have no cause other than a deep desire to change the way one lives their life. Whatever the case, mental health challenges are normal. Feeling empowered to address mental health challenges before they escalate provides the opportunity to live a full life while experiencing a range of emotions.

Mental Health Condition/Illness: A mental health condition or illness affects how people think, feel, behave, or interact with others. There are many different mental health conditions or illnesses, and they have different symptoms that impact peoples’ lives in a variety of ways. And because mental health is unique, a condition or illness may not look or feel the same way between multiple people with the same condition.

COMMON MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT PRESENT IN TEENS/YOUNG ADULTS.

This list is not exhaustive, yet provides insight into common mental health conditions that present in teens and young adults. (Provided in Kind by A Path to Hope, Obtained from Psychologytoday.com and the National Institute of Mental Health)

ANXIETY DISORDER

Occasional anxiety is an expected part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, schoolwork, and relationships.

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.

DEPRESSION

Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

EATING DISORDERS

There is a commonly held misconception that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice and that they only occur in females. Eating disorders are quite serious, often fatal illnesses that are associated with severe disturbances in people’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions that can impact anyone regardless of gender. Preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape may also signal an eating disorder. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Feeling extremely afraid of being judged by others? Feeling very self-conscious in everyday social situations? Avoiding meeting new people? This disorder is characterized by feeling this way for at least six months and these feelings make it hard for people to do everyday tasks—such as talking to people at work or school. Social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) is a mental health condition. It is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. Treatment can help overcome symptoms.

BIPOLAR DISORDER

Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are three types of bipolar disorder. All three types involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.

PANDAS

Pandas is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. A child may be diagnosed with PANDAS when: obsessive-compulsive disorder, tic disorder, or both suddenly appear following a streptococcal (strep) infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. The symptoms of OCD or tic symptoms suddenly become worse following a strep infection. The symptoms are usually dramatic, happen “overnight and out of the blue,” and can include motor or vocal tics or both and obsessions, compulsions, or both. In addition to these symptoms, children may become moody or irritable, experience anxiety attacks, or show concerns about separating from parents or loved ones.

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

Borderline personality disorder is an illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behavior. These symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days.

People with borderline personality disorder also tend to view things in extremes, such as all good or all bad. Their opinions of other people can also change quickly. An individual who is seen as a friend one day may be considered an enemy or traitor the next. These shifting feelings can lead to intense and unstable relationships.