One in every six persons is between the ages of 10 and 19. The adolescent years are special and influential. Adolescents are more susceptible to mental health issues due to physical, emotional, and social changes, such as experiencing poverty, abuse, or violence. Adolescents' health and well-being during adolescence and into adulthood depend on safeguarding them from harm, fostering socio-emotional learning and psychological well-being, and guaranteeing access to mental health treatment.

The prevalence of mental health issues among 10 to 19-year-olds is estimated to be 1 in 7 (14%) worldwide, although these conditions are usually undiagnosed and untreated.

Adolescents with mental health issues are more susceptible to social isolation, discrimination, and stigma which can impair their willingness to seek care, academic challenges, risk-taking behaviours, physical ill-health, and human rights abuses.

Pressures faced by teenagers:

Experts in youth mental health have expressed worry about the enormous expectations placed on kids and teenagers. However, teen stress is not solely caused by external pressures and a lack of a support network. Additionally, a lot of young people deal with:

• The overwhelming pressure to succeed academically or to be accepted into prestigious schools and institutions
• The pressures to excel in athletics, the arts, or other extracurricular activities
• Lack of time for rest, relaxation, and unstructured pleasure due to strict scheduling
• Bullying, that can be in person, via social media or both.
• Persistent concerns about global violence, climate change, and other important topics
• Discrimination based on racial, gender, sexual, weight, religious, or other grounds
• Problems caused by poverty or a lack of funds for enough, wholesome food and safe, stable shelter.

Types of mental health issues:

The following mental diseases are most prevalent among teens:

1. Generalised anxiety: Constant, excessive worry
2. Social phobias: Extreme emotions of uneasiness and self-consciousness in social situations.
3. Depression: Characterised by ongoing melancholy, worry, and/or emptiness.

Warning signs of mental health issues in adolescents:

Although a drop in grades would often be one of the warning signals for most children, there are other symptoms as well. A shift in your child's social patterns, such as their withdrawal from friends, school, or previous interests, might be another warning sign. Additionally, there are specific symptoms for sorrow, social phobias, and generalised anxiety.

The following are signs of generalised anxiety disorder:

• Having a restless, tense, or nervous feeling
• Being prone to tiredness
• Having trouble staying focused and becoming irritable
• A sense of muscular tightness
• Having trouble controlling your level of concern
• Having sleep issues, such as having trouble falling or staying asleep or not feeling refreshed

Symptoms of a social anxiety disorder include:

• Being exceedingly uncomfortable just thinking about being with others and finding it difficult to interact with them.
• Extreme self-consciousness with a pervasive fear of offending, rejecting, or humiliating others
• Being concerned about judgement
• Anxiety weeks or even days before a social function
• Avoiding public areas with crowds of people
• Having trouble making and keeping friends
• When you blush, sweat, or tremble in front of people
• Feeling nauseous while among other people

Depressive symptoms also include:

• Constantly experiencing low mood
• Feeling pessimistic or hopeless
• Suffering from irritability
• Feeling useless, guilty, or powerless
• Losing interest in once-enjoyable hobbies or activities
• Experiencing weariness or a lack of energy
• A slower pace of movement or speech than typical
• Feeling restless
• Having trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions 
• Experiencing unexpected changes in appetite or weight
• Having suicidal or self-harming thoughts 
• Aches or pains that are undiagnosed and persistent despite treatment

Determinants of mental health:

Adolescence is a critical time for forming social and emotional habits that are necessary for mental health. Establish healthy sleep and exercise habits as well as coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. It is crucial to provide safe and encouraging conditions in the home, at school, and in the larger community.

Mental health is impacted by several variables. The potential influence on teenagers' mental health increases with the number of risk factors they are exposed to. Adolescence is a stressful time for several reasons, including adversity exposure, peer pressure, and identity discovery. The gap between an adolescent's experienced reality and their beliefs or ambitions for the future can be made worse by gender stereotypes and media impact.

Some teenagers are more susceptible to mental health issues because of their living circumstances, stigma, exclusion or discrimination, or an absence of access to high-quality services and support. Adolescents who reside in humanitarian and precarious environments, those with chronic illnesses, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, or other neurological conditions, orphans, adolescents with young children, adolescents who are parents themselves, or those involved in early or forced marriages, are just a few of these groups.

Conclusion:

Mental diseases can be avoided. However, because they are in denial, parents sometimes wait until problems have been ongoing for several months before bringing the child in. The majority of parents think, "It can't be what's happening to my child." If you have concerns, you should speak with your adolescent.

It's advisable to have a talk with your kid about the issue if they look anxious or if there has been a dramatic shift in their conduct. It might not necessarily indicate a psychiatric condition like depression or anxiety, but it could still be a symptom that they are experiencing stress from anything in their lives.