Youth mental health is an important aspect of overall youth health. It can help prevent mental disorders, treat them and support them to live healthy, happy and productive lives.
To promote and support young people’s mental health, it is important to understand how they view support systems. This can help services to better meet their needs and build effective partnerships.
Prevention
Prevention strategies can help minimize the risk of developing a mental health disorder or crisis. They can also support healthy behavior and prevent recurrence of symptoms.
About half of lifetime mental disorders begin by age 14, and a significant proportion of them go untreated. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends implementing preventive psychosocial interventions in youth to avert or minimize potential long-term impacts of mental disorders.
The most effective prevention strategies include building positive relationships with peers, family members and mentors; developing coping skills, problem-solving abilities, and healthy behaviors; and practicing mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises.
Addressing negative stereotypes, biases, and stigma about mental illness can make a huge difference in how young people feel about their own mental health. These efforts also have a positive impact on the community. For example, community groups can work with trusted messengers to raise awareness about mental health needs and provide education and guidance. They can also conduct targeted education campaigns to reduce biases and promote new cultural norms.
Early Intervention
Early intervention is a key strategy in mental health care. It aims to save people from stress, prevent more serious symptoms from developing and reduce their risk of problems with work, family, school or substance use.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in every seven adolescents suffers from some type of mental health problem. Unfortunately, these are the most vulnerable young people and often don’t receive the treatment they need.
In addition, many young people suffer from trauma or ill-treatment during childhood and adolescence. These can leave deep emotional scars that impact their mental health and their chances of living a good life.
As such, early prevention and early intervention strategies are critical for the future mental health of youth. These programs need to address a variety of issues, such as social and emotional development, self-regulatory skills, and behavioural outcomes. They require a multi-level approach and diverse delivery platforms such as digital media, health or social care settings, schools, colleges or the community.
Treatment
Treatment for youth mental health includes a wide range of services and supports available to children and young people with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. These include out patient care, community-based services, and residential treatment programs.
The type of treatment your child receives will depend on his or her needs and the availability of services in your area. The type of treatment your child receives should be based on evidence-based practices that have shown to be effective for treating children and youth with mental health issues.
Adolescents are vulnerable to mental health problems and can experience a wide variety of symptoms including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. These problems may be related to a range of factors including living conditions, family and peer relationships, stigma or discrimination, and access to services.
Support
Adolescence is a critical time in a child’s development, but it can also be a time of distress. Youth may face challenges in their homes, schools, community, and interpersonal relationships.
Many young people can overcome the challenges associated with mental health disorders by getting treatment and receiving peer and professional support. However, some adolescents may be more at risk for mental health problems due to their living conditions, social stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.
As a result, reducing negative stereotypes and biases about mental illness can be an important part of creating a world where young people thrive. This includes addressing misconceptions in populations that have an outsized influence over young people, such as families, educators, health care professionals, juvenile justice officials, and online influencers.