When an adolescent is dealing with poor mental health, it affects the entire family. Determining if your child's behavior is due to growing up or signifies an underlying issue can be challenging. You may be debating if it's time to seek help for your teen but not know where to start.
The Complex Field of Adolescent Psychiatry
At Queens Consultation Center in Rego Park, NY, we are experts in the complex field of adolescent psychiatry. We know how to identify mental health conditions and offer comprehensive treatment plans. Your child is at a crucial age, and we want them to live as happy and fulfilling a life as possible. To do that, we need to figure out the root cause of their issues.
Identifying Mental Illness in an Adolescent
Parents often struggle to distinguish between typical teen behavior and something more serious. When your child was younger, they probably threw tantrums and told you every thought that came to their mind. You may have noticed that, as your child moves into puberty, they become withdrawn, moody, and sleep more.
When to Seek Help
Mild exhibitions of these behaviors alone aren't worrisome, but it's time to seek help if they become prolonged. If your teen spends a concerning amount of time sleeping or stays awake most of the night, is no longer interested in activities they once loved, has low energy, or withdraws socially, there may be a more complex issue. In more severe cases, your adolescent may engage in self-harm behaviors, substance abuse, or even consider suicide.
The Differences Between Mental Illnesses
Mental illnesses come in many forms. For example, an anxiety disorder causes excessive worrying, irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, and difficulty concentrating, whereas depression causes persistent hopelessness, lethargy, sadness, and a loss of interest in daily life. It's rare these symptoms go away on their own, and unfortunately, it's more likely they'll worsen.
Expert and Compassionate Care at Queens Consultation in Rego Park, NY
Our team at Queens Consultation consists of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, licensed clinical social workers, physician assistants, and licensed mental health counselors. We will work with your adolescent to devise an individualized treatment plan, incorporating therapeutic services such as individual psychotherapy, group and family therapy, medication management, and more.
It's important to know that mental illnesses are treatable and manageable during this difficult time. With the proper care, your child can still live a happy and fulfilled life. We are here to guide you every step of the way, and together, we'll ensure your adolescent receives the care and support they need.
To learn more about adolescent psychiatry at Queens Consultation Center, call (718) 459-1225.