Over 45% of teens suffer from a mental disorder and 1 in 5 teens suffer from a severe mental illness. Mental illnesses are brain function disorders caused by complex interactions between genes and environment. Mental illness affects how people feel, think and act, and it can impact families, friends and communities if left untreated. Early identification and treatment is important for mental health at every stage of life.

1. MENTAL HEALTH OF
TEENS
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2. Mental health affects how we
feel, think and act. It’s
important at every stage of life
so that we can cope with
stressful situations, work
productively, and make
meaningful contributions to our
community.
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3. × Over 45% of teens
suffer from a mental
disorder and 1 in 5
teens suffer from a
severe mental illness.
That’s 20 percent of
our teen population.
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4. × Mental illnesses are
brain function
disorders. They have
many causes and
result from complex
interactions between
a person’s genes and
their environment. nicolegelique

5. × A person struggling
with mental health
should not be viewed
any different than if
someone were
experiencing a
physical illness.
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6. Mental illness is not a choice or a
failure. It does not discriminate. It
can affect anyone regardless of age,
gender, social status, ethnicity, or
any other aspect of cultural identity.
In fact, mental illnesses occur at
similar rates around the world, in
every culture and in all socio
economic groups

7. × The concern with
mental health isn’t just
about the statistics, it’s
about well-being. It
can affect families,
friends and our
communities.

8. But you can help make a
difference by learning to recognize
the signs of mental illness. A
mental illness makes the things
you do in life hard, like: work,
school and socializing. It’s also not
always clear when a problem with
mood or thinking has become
serious enough to be a concern.
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9. Sometimes a depressed mood is
normal, such as when a person
experiences the loss of a loved one.
But if that depressed mood
continues to cause distress or gets in
the way of normal daily functioning,
the person may benefit from
professional care.
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10. If you think you (or
someone you know) might
be struggling with their
mental health, it is best to
consult a professional.

11. Early identification and effective
treatment is key to treating a
disorder and preventing future
disability. A health care
professional will connect symptoms
and experiences to help formulate a
diagnosis.
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12. MENTAL HEALTH OF
TEENS
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