Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Mental Health Is ImportantMental health is howtasks.Feeling life is too hard to handle.Hearing voices
people think, feel, and act as they face life'sthat cannot be explained.Experiencing suicidal
situations. It affects how people handle stress, relatethoughts.A child or adolescent experiences:Poor
to one another, and make decisions. Mental healthconcentration and is unable to think straight or make
influences the ways individuals look at themselves,up his or her mind.An inability to sit still or focus
their lives, and others in their lives. Like physicalattention.
health, mental health is important at every stage ofWorry about being harmed, hurting others, or doing
life.All aspects of our lives are affected by our mentalsomething "bad".A need to wash, clean things, or
health. Caring for and protecting our children is anperform certain routines hundreds of times a day, in
obligation and is critical to their daily lives and theirorder to avoid an unsubstantiated danger.Racing
independence.Children and Adolescents Can Havethoughts that are almost too fast to follow.
Serious Mental Health ProblemsPersistent nightmares.A child or adolescent behaves
Like adults, children and adolescents can have mentalin ways that cause problems, such as:Using alcohol or
health disorders that interfere with the way theyother drugs.Eating large amounts of food and then
think, feel, and act. When untreated, mental healthpurging, or abusing laxatives, to avoid weight
disorders can lead to school failure, family conflicts,gain.Dieting and/or exercising obsessively.Violating the
drug abuse, violence, and even suicide. Untreatedrights of others or constantly breaking the law
mental health disorders can be very costly to families,without regard for other people.Setting fires.Doing
communities, and the health care system.In this factthings that can be life threatening.Killing
sheet, "Mental Health Problems" for children andanimals.Comprehensive Services through Systems of
adolescents refers to the range of all diagnosableCare Can Help
emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. TheySome children diagnosed with severe mental health
include depression, attention- deficit/hyperactivitydisorders may be eligible for comprehensive and
disorder, and anxiety, conduct, and eating disorders.community-based services through systems of care.
Mental health problems affect one in every fiveSystems of care help children with serious emotional
young people at any given time.disturbances and their families cope with the
"Serious Emotional Disturbances" for children andchallenges of difficult mental, emotional, or behavioral
adolescents refers to the above disorders when theyproblems. To learn more about systems of care, call
severely disrupt daily functioning in home, school, orthe National Mental Health Information Center at
community. Serious emotional disturbances affect 1 in1-800-789-2647, and request fact sheets on systems
every 10 young people at any given time.Mentalof care and serious emotional disturbances, or visit
Health Disorders Are More Common in Young Peoplethe Center's web site at the Right Services Is
than Many Realize.Studies show that at least one inCriticalTo find the right services for their children,
five children and adolescents have a mental healthfamilies can do the following:Get accurate information
disorder. At least one in 10, or about 6 million people,from hotlines, libraries, or other sources.Seek referrals
have a serious emotional disturbance.The Causes Arefrom professionals.Ask questions about treatments
ComplicatedMental health disorders in children andand services.Talk to other families in their
adolescents are caused mostly by biology andcommunities.Find family network organizations.It is
environment. Examples of biological causes arecritical that people who are not satisfied with the
genetics, chemical imbalances in the body, or damagemental health care they receive discuss their
to the central nervous system, such as a head injury.concerns with providers, ask for information, and
Many environmental factors also put young people atseek help from other sources.Important Messages
risk for developing mental health disorders. ExamplesAbout Child and Adolescent Mental Health:Every child's
include:Exposure to environmental toxins, such as highmental health is important.
levels of lead;Many children have mental health problems.
Exposure to violence, such as witnessing or beingThese problems are real, painful, and can be severe.
the victim of physical or sexual abuse, drive-byMental health problems can be recognized and
shootings, muggings, or other disasters; Stresstreated.
related to chronic poverty, discrimination, or otherCaring families and communities working together
serious hardships; andcan help.
The loss of important people through death, divorce,Information is available; call 1-800-789-2647.This is
or broken relationships.Signs of Mental Healthone of many fact sheets on children's mental health
Disorders Can Signal a Need for HelpChildren anddisorders. All the fact sheets listed below are written
adolescents with mental health issues need to getin an easy-to-read style. Families, caretakers, and
help as soon as possible. A variety of signs may pointmedia professionals may find them helpful when
to mental health disorders or serious emotionallooking for information about mental health disorders.
disturbances in children or adolescents. Pay attentionFor free copies, call 1-800-789-2647, or visit Much
if a child or adolescent you know has any of theseLove,Arthur Buchanan
warning signs:A child or adolescent is troubled byPresident/CEO
feeling:Sad and hopeless for no reason, and theseOut of Darkness & Into the Light
feelings do not go away. Very angry most of the43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
time and crying a lot or overreacting toHuron Ohio, 44839
things.Worthless or guilty often.Anxious or worried567-219-0994 (cell)
often.Unable to get over a loss or death of someoneare calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of recovering
important.from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL
Extremely fearful or having unexplainedCOLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur Buchanan has given
fears.Constantly concerned about physical problemsus a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these
or physical appearance.Frightened that his or her minduncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high
either is controlled or is out of control.A child orin the United States of America, yet if you follow
adolescent experiences big changes, such as:Showingthis young mans methods, we assure you of positive
declining performance in school.Losing interest inresults and I QUOTE 'If these methods are followed
things once enjoyed.Experiencing unexplained changesprecisely, their is no way you can't see positive
in sleeping or eating patterns.Avoiding friends orresults with whatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert
family and wanting to be alone all thePalos Detroit, Michigan
time.Daydreaming too much and not completingTHIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!