This document discusses common mental health issues among adolescents including sensation seeking behaviors, drug use, eating disorders, depression, and suicide. It notes that peer pressure and media influences can encourage risky behaviors like binge drinking and drug use in adolescents. Eating disorders are also prevalent as teens feel pressure to meet ideals of thinness. Depression affects around 25% of young women and 12.5% of young men, and can be related to family dynamics and genetics. Suicidal thoughts are often formed during depressive episodes, and suicide risks include depression, personality disorders, and life stressors. Early recognition and treatment of mental health issues in teens is important.

1. Adolescent
health
Recognizing common
mental health issues
By: Harpinder Basati
s0480536

2. Sensation Seeking
 Reckless behaviour that can lead to injury and
accidents
 A drive for popularity among a
group can push adolescents
to engage in these behaviours.
 Peer pressure plays a large role
in how groups will interact and push individuals
to do unsafe, or unhealthy behaviours such as
binge drinking
Figure 1: peer pressure

3. Sensation Seeking
 Adolescents are gaining a new sense of
independence and this leads them to do things
without consideration to the consequences
 A lack of experience and education in how to be
safe in situations, such as driving, lead to a
higher incidence of injuries

4. Sensation Seeking
 Adolescents spend more time on media outlets
than they do in school, thus this is a large
influence on their behaviour, and portrayals of
drug use or sex can drive them to engage in
them.
 Peer pressure plays a large role in how groups
will interact and push individuals to do unsafe, or
unhealthy behaviours such as speeding while
driving or binge drinking
Figure 2: Constant media exposure

5. Drug use
 Rates of drug usage for the purpose of “getting high”
have been decreasing since the 1970’s
 The average age for the first time is 14 years old
 The use of drugs will usually increase with age,
leading to addictions and serious health
complications caused by the toxic side effects

6. Drug use
 Alcohol remains the most popular choice, and binge drinking
has become a serious issue among this age group
 Marijuana and Tobacco are the second and third most
popular choices and are usually started after alcohol
consumption is no longer enough to “get a buzz”
 Other illicit drugs such as hallucinogens
and amphetamines are major risks factors
for addiction and serious mental
and physical health problems
Figure 3: Alcohol can use can lead to addiction

7. Drug use
 Tobacco is considered a gateway drug for the use of
other illicit drugs
 Peer influence plays a major role in the beginning of
smoking, it can be used as a tool for group
membership for individuals concerned with popularity
 Tobacco is highly addictive and can lead to lifetime
usage

8. Eating disorders
 Now among the most prevalent mental health issue for
adolescents
 Most at risk are teenage girls
and LGBTQ youth to feel the
pressure to be thin
 Media strongly influences these desires to be thin at all costs
and achieve ideals set by movies and fashion
Figure 4 : Societal pressures distort self image

9. Eating disorders
 Bulimia is characterized by binge eating, then purging (
induced vomiting) to satisfy cravings and blocking any
nutrients or fats from being absorbed
 Most individuals feel intense guilt about their actions and
rarely seek help until physical damage has been done
 Tooth decay, stomach irritation, and chemical imbalances
are signs of severe bulima

10. Eating disorders
 Anorexia is less common than bulimia but can have serious
complications if left untreated
 Is more commonly seen in teenage girls and young women, as they
tend to feel pressured to fit into societal ideals of body image
 Manifests as extreme dieting, exercise, an irrational fear of gaining
weight
Figure 5: extreme dieting

11. Eating disorders
 Physical symptoms are associated with starvation;
lack of menstruation, hair loss, cardiovascular
problems
 Anorexia can lead to chronic health problems and in
some cases death
 Is becoming more common for young men, as media
has begun to portray images of slender men in
movies and in fashion

12. Depression
 25% of young women 16-19 years old have experienced a
depressive episode, 12.5% of young men within the same
age group
 Is associated with both genetic and environmental factors;
family dynamic and parental influence play roles in how youth
see themselves and how they cope with their emotions
 Depression can last for days or weeks
and will effect academic performance and
memory.
Figure 6: Depression

13. Depression
 When an individual does not meet their expectations
of themselves, it can trigger a depressive episode
 Self shaming, and loathing are only worsened by
continuing to focus on negative memories and
stimuli, while disregarding positive stimuli
 Smoking tobacco has been linked with developing a
depressive episode in youth

14. Suicide
 Suicidal thoughts can be formed during
depressive episodes that manifest
for prolonged periods of time
 Adolescent men are more likely to succeed at suicide than
women are, even though women are more likely to attempt
suicide
 Treatments are usually focused on treating depression
through the administration of medications
Figure 7: suicidal ideation is rarely expressed to others

15. Suicide
 Treatment utilizing SSRI’s have been contraindicated for
youth as they have been shown to increase suicidal
thoughts, and increase aggression
 Spilt personality, and narcissistic mental disorders can also
be causes other than depression
 Stressful events, an altered mental state, and the
opportunity to present itself are all risk factors for
individuals with suicidal ideation to follow through with an
attempted suicide

16. Suicide
 It is important to recognize the signs of
depression, or other mental disorders early on to
provide support and treatment before it is too
late
 Native American girls are more likely to attempt
suicide than their male counterparts, this is due
to societal pressure and environmental stressor
that are greater for this population

17. References
 Boyd, D., Johnson, P. & Bee, H. (2015). Lifespan Development ( 5th Can. Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education Inc.
 Figure 1: peer pressure. Retrieved from http://images.wisegeek.com/group-of-teens-with-
alcohol-and-cigarettes.jpg . Retrieved on Nov 23, 2015.
 Figure 2: Constant media exposure. Retrieved from
http://www.cmswire.com/~/media/5c1169f2407b409f95dd2b73f19b300b.jpg . Retrieved on Nov, 23 2015.
 Figure 3: Alcohol can use can lead to addiction. Retrieved from http://www.snoringmouthpieceguide.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/09/alcohol-sleep.jpg . Retrieved on Nov, 23 2015.
 Figure 4 : Societal pressures distort self image. Retrieved from http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/2014-
04/enhanced/webdr02/25/12/enhanced-6406-1398444586-7.jpg . Retrieved on Nov, 23 2015
 Figure 5: extreme dieting. Retrieved from http://www.insulinoopornosc.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/01/types_of_eating_disorders.png .Retrieved on Nov, 23 2015
 Figure 6: Depression. Retrieved from
https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_400_400/AAEAAQAAAAAAAANgAAAAJDc2OWY0YTExLTY2NDktNGZmZ
C1iYzA2LWFkOGVmY2NiZjE2YQ.jpg. Retrieved on Nov, 2015.
 Figure 7: suicidal ideation is rarely expressed to others. Retrieved from
https://drmarissascorner.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/suicidal-thoughts.png . Retrieved on Nov, 23 2015.