Adolescence is the budding stage of youth. It begins with the onset of sexual maturation and continues through the transition state from childhood to young adulthood. The beginning is biologically defined by the onset of puberty, usually during the 10th to 13th year. The end is less definable, but may be as early as 16 years or as late as 20. There will be rapid anatomical and physiological changes occurring during adolescence, along with a rapid psychosocial and psychosexual change. Adolescents go through a tremendous turmoil generated over their feelings of inadequacy, increase in sexual and aggressive drives, internal disorganization, and the attempt to attain self-control.
These are only a few of the Adolescent’s problems. In most of these conditions, there is a great need of Counseling and Behavioral therapy to understand their problem and to give them a proper diagnosis and treatment. Where required, the patient will be treated with medication also, either Allopathically or Homeopathically.
As the patients of this age group are very young, Dr.Anitha Sreedhar, consultant Psychiatrist and the consort of Dr.Sreedhar will take the first step to counsel them and then Dr.Sreedhar will decide about the medication as needed, with Homeopathy preferentially or Allopathy, if required.
Anxiety disorders:
Phobia
Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Eating disorders:
Anorexia nervosa: The adolescent is intensely afraid of gaining weight and doesn’t believe that he or she is underweight.
Bulimia nervosa: Adolescents feel compelled to binge (eat huge amounts of food at a time). Afterward, to prevent weight gain, they rid their bodies of the food by vomiting, abusing laxatives, taking enemas, or exercising obsessively.
Schizophrenia:
Can be a devastating mental disorder.Young people with schizophrenia have psychotic periods when they may have hallucinations (sense things that do not exist, such as hearing voices), withdraw from others, and lose contact with reality. Other symptoms include delusional or disordered thoughts and an inability to experience pleasure.
Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness):
Here, the adolescent shows features of Mania (elation) and Depression one after another.
Learning disorders:
These problems can show up as difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, attention, or self-control.
Conduct disorder:
Young people with conduct disorder repeatedly violate the basic rights of others and the rules of society. Examples include lying, theft, aggression, truancy, fire setting, and vandalism.
Major depression:
The disorder is marked by changes in:
Emotion – the child often feels sad, cries, looks tearful, feels worthless;
Motivation – schoolwork declines, the child shows no interest in play;
Physical well-being – there may be changes in appetite or sleep patterns and vague physical complaints; and
Thoughts – the child believes that he or she is ugly, that he or she is unable to do anything right, or that the world or life is hopeless.