LEARNING ABOUT ADOLESCENTS’ LIFE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

 

The aim of this paper was to understand meaning of mental health in adolescents.Most mental disorders diagnosed in adulthood begin in adolescence and half of lifetime diagnosable mental health disorders start by age 14; this number increases to three fourths by age 24. Medical science increasingly recognizes the vital link between a person’s physical health and his or her mental/emotional health. The absence of disease does not adequately defines physical health; mental health consists of more than the absence of mental disorders. Mental health is best seen as falling along a continuum, which fluctuates over time, and across individuals, as well as within a single individual. This includes those with mental retardation, learning disabilities, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and other disabling mental health problems such as depression, autism, anxiety, or oppositional defiant. disorder. Specifically, a biopsychosocial perspective on adolescent health and disorders is presented with an emphasis on risk-taking behaviours and the various biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors found to be associated with adolescent risk-taking behaviors.Psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavior therapy and family systems therapy are currently the most widely used and effective treatments for most mental health disorders.The role of health service psychologists, parents and schools provide appropriate mental and behavioral health care services, including assessment, screening, psychotherapy, counseling, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, remediation, consultation, and supervision.