Being an adolescent can be straightforward for many - but for others, going through significant physical changes, hormonal changes and relationship changes can put a younger person in a very uncomfortable place. You feel like an adult – but you’re still treated like a child. Or you still feel like a child and expected to behave like an adult! Your parents, or your teachers or sometimes even friends (or frenemies) don’t understand and you just wish they would leave you alone.
On top of that, you have to deal with the pressures of school work and getting good grades, peer pressures, finding or working a part-time job to gain some financial independence, career decisions, sexual identification and finding and expressing your individuality and self-identity. It can really be a confusing and pretty tough time.
For some adolescents, they may also be experiencing other kinds of conflict, for example relationship problems (family, romantic or friendship groups), bullying, exclusion, sexual identity issues, body image issues, lifestyle choices and peer pressure to engage in behaviours that are not particularly healthy or helpful.
Adolescents facing these sorts of pressures and problems are oftentimes just not equipped to deal with them alone. Sometimes you may not want to talk about it with parents or friends… As a result, you can experience a range of mental health issues such as anxiety, social phobia, depression, eating disorders, self-harm behaviours, substance abuse (e.g. binge drinking or drug problems), sleep disorders, aggression, sexual risk taking and avoidance.
At Relieve Psychology we have a team of highly experienced professionals who really understand the pressures of adolescence – and with whom you can confide your secrets, fears and concerns without judgement, blame or bias. We can provide coping strategies and advice for adolescents in distress. We are particularly experienced in treatment for teenager depression and anxiety.
All consultations are confidential and you will be treated with care, empathy and respect.
To make an appointment call (03) 8394 3891 and get some relief!
You’re not on your own.
Relieve Psychology
135 Bamfield Road
Heidelberg Heights
VIC 3081
is conveniently located to:
Bellfield, Bundoora, Eaglemont, Epping, Ivanhoe, Kingsbury, McLeod, Preston, Reservoir, Rosanna and
Viewbank
135 Bamfield Road
Heidelberg Heights
VIC 3081
is conveniently located to:
Bellfield, Bundoora, Eaglemont, Epping, Ivanhoe, Kingsbury, McLeod, Preston, Reservoir, Rosanna and
Viewbank
Adolescent Mental Health
There is some variation in the definition of a 'young person', although a reasonable consensus is that young people are those aged between 12 to 25 years. The lower end of this phase is roughly defined by puberty, while the upper end is somewhat more fuzzy, though involves achieving an independent adult identity. It may be helpful to view these individuals as 'emerging adults' who are in the later stages of their education, or the early stages of their employment career, and who may be facing a number of developmental challenges, including establishing employment and sexually intimate relationships, and using alcohol and tobacco (eg. Graham, 2004). Indeed it is the confluence of these experiences which helps put the mental health needs of young people in context (Patel, Fisher & McGorry, in press).
In Australia, the prevalence of mental health problems among children aged 4-12 years is at most 14 percent (based on parental reports; Sawyer, Arney, Baghurst et al, 2000), which rises to 19 percent among adolescents aged 13-17 years (Sawyer et al, 2000) and increases again to 27 percent among young adults aged 18-24 (McLennan, 1997). Based on these figures, approximately one in four to five young Australians are likely to suffer from a mental health problem, most commonly substance abuse or dependency, depression, anxiety and eating disorders (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare: AIHW, 2003). Comorbidity (particularly substance abuse disorders) is unfortunately the norm in this population (AIHW, 2003). High rates of disability are associated with mental disorders among young people (McLennan, 1997), including impaired work productivity, absenteeism, educational failure and poor family functioning. The Victorian Burden of Disease Study reinforces the seriousness of this problem, demonstrating that for young people aged 15-24 years, mental disorders are the single greatest cause of years of healthy life lost (Public Health Group, 2005).
Source: APS
There is some variation in the definition of a 'young person', although a reasonable consensus is that young people are those aged between 12 to 25 years. The lower end of this phase is roughly defined by puberty, while the upper end is somewhat more fuzzy, though involves achieving an independent adult identity. It may be helpful to view these individuals as 'emerging adults' who are in the later stages of their education, or the early stages of their employment career, and who may be facing a number of developmental challenges, including establishing employment and sexually intimate relationships, and using alcohol and tobacco (eg. Graham, 2004). Indeed it is the confluence of these experiences which helps put the mental health needs of young people in context (Patel, Fisher & McGorry, in press).
In Australia, the prevalence of mental health problems among children aged 4-12 years is at most 14 percent (based on parental reports; Sawyer, Arney, Baghurst et al, 2000), which rises to 19 percent among adolescents aged 13-17 years (Sawyer et al, 2000) and increases again to 27 percent among young adults aged 18-24 (McLennan, 1997). Based on these figures, approximately one in four to five young Australians are likely to suffer from a mental health problem, most commonly substance abuse or dependency, depression, anxiety and eating disorders (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare: AIHW, 2003). Comorbidity (particularly substance abuse disorders) is unfortunately the norm in this population (AIHW, 2003). High rates of disability are associated with mental disorders among young people (McLennan, 1997), including impaired work productivity, absenteeism, educational failure and poor family functioning. The Victorian Burden of Disease Study reinforces the seriousness of this problem, demonstrating that for young people aged 15-24 years, mental disorders are the single greatest cause of years of healthy life lost (Public Health Group, 2005).
Source: APS
