Why do so many mental disorders emerge during our teenage years? We don’t see many children under the age of 13 with mental disorders, ranging from mood disorders to even disorders with symptoms of psychosis. So at what age do we tend to become vulnerable to mental illnesses? According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, “50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.” This begs the question: why do mental illnesses peak during our teenage years?
The reasons can be separated into three distinct factors: biological, developmental, and social.
During adolescence, our brain has the ability to constantly change and adapt, thanks to neuroplasticity (in simple terms, the brain’s ability to change). Because of how quickly the brain is developing, it can be easily overstimulated. That, along with hormonal changes (such as the increase in adrenal stress hormones and changes in the brain’s reward system), describes the biological factors that could play a part in why mental disorders commonly appear during adolescence.
Many of the developmental factors that could be involved have to do with stress and how we handle it during adolescence. As ViewPoint Center explains, “teenagers are more likely to perceive stressful life events as traumatic than adults, who are less likely to take risks, more likely to use healthy coping mechanisms, and have more social support.”
Lastly, social factors, including social stress (i.e. approval from peers or peer pressure) play a huge part in the surfacing of teenage mental disorders. According to Polaris Teen Center, “environmental causes of mental illness in adolescents are typically, at their core, a result of stress.” Sources of stress could include but are not limited to trauma, bullying, early loss, unsafe living conditions, unstable home environments, and alcohol misuse.
In summary:
“Adolescence is characterized by major changes in the neural systems that subserve higher cognitive functions, reasoning and interpersonal interactions, cognitive control of emotions, risk-vs-reward appraisal and motivation. Not surprisingly, when not adequately surmounted, it is precisely these challenges that increase the risk of cognitive, affective and addictive disorders.” – NCBI
What can we do? As the World Health Organization states, “Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age but most cases are undetected and untreated.” Early detection and treatment is therefore crucial. The American Psychiatric Association lists a few signs and symptoms that one should keep in mind. Simple signs such as changes in sleep patterns, or changes in mood could go unnoticed. If several of these signs and symptoms apply to you or someone you know, it would be wise to seek professional help. To read more about receiving help for mental health issues in general, you could always visit another of my articles on Hiding Mental Disorders and how you can help yourself and others.
Bibliography
Tobias Hauser Principal Research Fellow. “Teenage Mental Health: How Growing Brains Could Explain Emerging Disorders.” The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2021, theconversation.com/teenage-mental-health-how-growing-brains-could-explain-emerging-disorders-154007.
“Warning Signs of Mental Illness.” Warning Signs of Mental Illness, www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/warning-signs-of-mental-illness.
Centerpolaristeen.com/articles/author/aribrown/, Polaris Teen. “What Causes Mental Illness in Adolescence.” Polaris Teen Center: Premier Adolescent Treatment Center in Los Angeles, 14 Dec. 2020, polaristeen.com/articles/what-causes-mental-illness-adolescence/.
Paus, Tomás, et al. “Why Do Many Psychiatric Disorders Emerge during Adolescence?” Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2762785/.
Nelson, Randi. “Why Do Mental Health Issues Appear in Adolescence?” ViewPoint Center, 16 May 2020, www.viewpointcenter.com/why-do-mental-health-issues-appear-in-adolescence/.
“Adolescent Mental Health.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.