The purpose of this page is to offer some educational information on common mental health disorders affecting youth today. We hope this helps improve the understanding of mental illness throughout communities in Texas!
As you read this page, it may contain information that could lead you to seek out mental health resources. If you are experiencing immediate crisis, please call 911. If you need mental health supports, please reach out to your local mental health authority. Youth ACT also has a list of resources on its website that may assist you. Click here (insert link to resource page) for more information.
FACT: 20% of the American population experiences mental illness. Education plays an important role in understanding these struggles. Many feel alone in this fight when in reality you probably come in contact with several other people throughout the day fighting a similar battle! You’re not alone!
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a condition where someone may go through moods of high and low, known as manic and depressive stages. Each up and down could last anywhere from a few days to several months. When manic you may become easily distracted, ignore the need for sleep, act impulsively, have heightened energy, racing thoughts, over-confidence, go on a spending spree, or become easily agitated. When experiencing the opposite extreme (depressive phase) you may experience sadness, lack of energy, low appetite and/or overeating, difficulty sleeping, and lack of interest in friends and family. If you are experiencing these highs and lows you are not alone. This is something that many youth work through.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a disorder where it becomes difficult to decipher between what’s real and not real. It may be hard to think clearly, socialize normally, or exhibit normal responses to emotion. Hallucinations, delusions, false beliefs, and less severe emotional responses may occur. It is unknown what causes this disorder to develop.
ADD/ADHD
The primary symptoms of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) include lack of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Behavioral signs will change from person to person.
Depression
Depression is described as the lack of interest or pleasure in daily life. It can be categorized by many different emotions and symptoms and may be triggered by life situations such as trauma, loss, relationships, and may be part of a separate mental health disorder. Signs of depression are withdrawing from daily activities, poor self-care, avoiding social events or responsibilities and others. Depression can also lead to someone wanting to hurt themselves. If you are experiencing these feelings, please dial 911 or call the suicide prevention hotline at 1 (888) 273 – 8255. Depression has the tendency to occur for unexplained reasons as well.
Anxiety
Anxiety can be a feeling of uneasiness, discomfort, fear, panic, obsession, and heightened stress. It can be triggered by other disorders, events, interaction, surroundings, or come without reason. It may cause an individual to withdraw and avoid these triggers.
Addiction
Addiction is a dependence on a substance or behavior such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, sex, food, or dangerous events bringing bouts of adrenaline. An individual suffering from this disorder may feel they have to have, or need these things to be ok. Adverse behaviors may arise with a lack of the substance or behavior.
Abuse
Abuse is being exposed to harmful and negative behavior of another person. This can include verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual harm. Abuse can occur within your family, a relationship with a significant other, or by a stranger. The abused person may have abnormal fears, be withdrawn, resort to negative coping, and practice poor self-care. If you are being harmed physically, sexually, emotionally, or deprived of daily needs such as nutrition and health seek immediate help from your local domestic violence shelter. You can also call the national domestic violence hotline at 1 (800) 799−7233.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that somebody may acquire after seeing or living through a dangerous or traumatic event. People with this disorder typically continue to feel stressed and frightened even when they are no longer in danger. Experiences such as flashbacks (reliving the event), nightmares, and frightening thoughts may be triggered. In PTSD one may have unhealthy avoidance symptoms, hyper arousal, and inability to positively cope. Anybody can acquire this disorder following a traumatic event though not everyone will.
Eating Disorders
An individual with an eating disorder might experience anorexia or bulimia. In anorexia the person may skip meals, or have a cycle of binging (overeating) and then restricting to compensate. In bulimia an individual will inflict vomiting upon themselves, often called purging. This also can be tied to a cycle of binging. Often times in an eating disorder the person carries a low self-esteem where they can develop a hatred for their bodies or experience feelings of being overweight. Anorexia and bulimia can pose as a negative coping mechanism, be connected to depression, anxiety, or the experience of difficult life events. It may be triggered by teasing and other factors causing the individual to feel increased imperfections. It may also arise if somebody feels lack of control over their lives. Eating disorders can lead to other symptoms and behaviors and require different levels of intervention.
Self-Injury
Self-injury is a serious behavior in which one may use different methods to inflict harm upon themselves. This may be a form of coping, or a punishment, and can be difficult to change. Self-injury can lead to thoughts of suicide or the desire to disappear. Signs may include depression, negative thoughts, risky behaviors, becoming withdrawn, and lack of interest in activities you may have once enjoyed.
Please note: If you or someone you know is dealing with any of these issues, and need immediate assistance, please dial 911. Youth ACT does not offer crisis support or therapeutic services.
As you read this page, it may contain information that could lead you to seek out mental health resources. If you are experiencing immediate crisis, please call 911. If you need mental health supports, please reach out to your local mental health authority. Youth ACT also has a list of resources on its website that may assist you. Click here (insert link to resource page) for more information.
FACT: 20% of the American population experiences mental illness. Education plays an important role in understanding these struggles. Many feel alone in this fight when in reality you probably come in contact with several other people throughout the day fighting a similar battle! You’re not alone!
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a condition where someone may go through moods of high and low, known as manic and depressive stages. Each up and down could last anywhere from a few days to several months. When manic you may become easily distracted, ignore the need for sleep, act impulsively, have heightened energy, racing thoughts, over-confidence, go on a spending spree, or become easily agitated. When experiencing the opposite extreme (depressive phase) you may experience sadness, lack of energy, low appetite and/or overeating, difficulty sleeping, and lack of interest in friends and family. If you are experiencing these highs and lows you are not alone. This is something that many youth work through.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a disorder where it becomes difficult to decipher between what’s real and not real. It may be hard to think clearly, socialize normally, or exhibit normal responses to emotion. Hallucinations, delusions, false beliefs, and less severe emotional responses may occur. It is unknown what causes this disorder to develop.
ADD/ADHD
The primary symptoms of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) include lack of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Behavioral signs will change from person to person.
Depression
Depression is described as the lack of interest or pleasure in daily life. It can be categorized by many different emotions and symptoms and may be triggered by life situations such as trauma, loss, relationships, and may be part of a separate mental health disorder. Signs of depression are withdrawing from daily activities, poor self-care, avoiding social events or responsibilities and others. Depression can also lead to someone wanting to hurt themselves. If you are experiencing these feelings, please dial 911 or call the suicide prevention hotline at 1 (888) 273 – 8255. Depression has the tendency to occur for unexplained reasons as well.
Anxiety
Anxiety can be a feeling of uneasiness, discomfort, fear, panic, obsession, and heightened stress. It can be triggered by other disorders, events, interaction, surroundings, or come without reason. It may cause an individual to withdraw and avoid these triggers.
Addiction
Addiction is a dependence on a substance or behavior such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, sex, food, or dangerous events bringing bouts of adrenaline. An individual suffering from this disorder may feel they have to have, or need these things to be ok. Adverse behaviors may arise with a lack of the substance or behavior.
Abuse
Abuse is being exposed to harmful and negative behavior of another person. This can include verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual harm. Abuse can occur within your family, a relationship with a significant other, or by a stranger. The abused person may have abnormal fears, be withdrawn, resort to negative coping, and practice poor self-care. If you are being harmed physically, sexually, emotionally, or deprived of daily needs such as nutrition and health seek immediate help from your local domestic violence shelter. You can also call the national domestic violence hotline at 1 (800) 799−7233.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that somebody may acquire after seeing or living through a dangerous or traumatic event. People with this disorder typically continue to feel stressed and frightened even when they are no longer in danger. Experiences such as flashbacks (reliving the event), nightmares, and frightening thoughts may be triggered. In PTSD one may have unhealthy avoidance symptoms, hyper arousal, and inability to positively cope. Anybody can acquire this disorder following a traumatic event though not everyone will.
Eating Disorders
An individual with an eating disorder might experience anorexia or bulimia. In anorexia the person may skip meals, or have a cycle of binging (overeating) and then restricting to compensate. In bulimia an individual will inflict vomiting upon themselves, often called purging. This also can be tied to a cycle of binging. Often times in an eating disorder the person carries a low self-esteem where they can develop a hatred for their bodies or experience feelings of being overweight. Anorexia and bulimia can pose as a negative coping mechanism, be connected to depression, anxiety, or the experience of difficult life events. It may be triggered by teasing and other factors causing the individual to feel increased imperfections. It may also arise if somebody feels lack of control over their lives. Eating disorders can lead to other symptoms and behaviors and require different levels of intervention.
Self-Injury
Self-injury is a serious behavior in which one may use different methods to inflict harm upon themselves. This may be a form of coping, or a punishment, and can be difficult to change. Self-injury can lead to thoughts of suicide or the desire to disappear. Signs may include depression, negative thoughts, risky behaviors, becoming withdrawn, and lack of interest in activities you may have once enjoyed.
Please note: If you or someone you know is dealing with any of these issues, and need immediate assistance, please dial 911. Youth ACT does not offer crisis support or therapeutic services.