Depression in Children and Adolescents | Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents | Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents | Eating Disorders
Depression in Children and Adolescents
In the United States, approximately 17% of individuals will suffer from a major depressive episode in their lifetime. At any given point in time, approximately 5% of children and adolescents in the general population are suffering from depression. The disorder tends to run in families, and it can have a negative impact on the overall functioning and adjustment of young people. Children living in high stress situations, who experience a loss, have trouble with anxiety, or who have a depressed parent are at a higher risk for developing depression. In children and adolescents, depressive symptoms include, but are not limited to, frequent sadness and crying, irritability, hopelessness, decreased interest in previously enjoyed activities, increased anger, frequent complaints about physical aches and pains, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating, low energy, complaints of boredom, social withdrawal, and thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behaviors. Early diagnosis and treatment are important for depressed children and teens. Comprehensive treatment often includes both individual and family therapy, and it may also include the use of antidepressant medication.
Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents
In the United States, approximately 4% of individuals suffer from some form of bipolar disorder. Pediatric bipolar disorder is an understudied type of this illness that affects approximately 1% of children and adolescents. Twenty to thirty percent of adolescents who experience major depression may go on to develop bipolar disorder within five years of illness onset. Although the cause is unknown, bipolar disorder often “runs in families”; children with a parent or a sibling with the illness are much more likely to develop bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder presents in a variety of ways in youth. Unlike adults, many children with the disorder present with continuous mood disturbance, chronic irritability, and few periods of wellness. It is not uncommon for children to experience “mood swings” many times a day and present with “mixed” episodes, having both manic or hypomanic symptoms as well as symptoms of depression at the same time. Children and teens with manic symptoms may present with excessive happiness or giddiness, have a very short temper and “rage attacks”, talk very fast about a lot of different things, have trouble sleeping and not feeling tired, do risky things, have trouble with paying attention, have a lot of energy, and talk and think about sex more often than most children and teens. Bipolar disorder in youth also often co-exists with other problems (i.e., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and others), which can make accurate diagnosis difficult.
Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Many children and adolescents experience fears or worries that can cause emotional distress or difficulties in facing challenging situations (such as giving a speech in front of a class or starting a new school). In fact, many early childhood fears, such as fears of the dark or “monsters under the bed ” are extremely common, and most children outgrow such concerns and worries. Although such childhood worries or fears are not uncommon and often are temporary, some children and adolescents experience intense or persistent worries, fears, or feelings of uneasiness that can significantly affect their lives. Anxiety disorders can take a variety of forms, such as intense feelings of panic and distressing physical symptoms; pervasive worries about social situations and how the child/adolescent is perceived by others; chronic exaggerated worries about everyday life events or fears that “something bad might happen”; specific worries or phobias about something that really poses no actual danger; or excessive preoccupation with repetitive and unwanted thoughts along with associated feelings of needing to perform some type of action to manage anxiety.
Left untreated, anxiety disorders can significantly diminish the quality of an individual’s and family’s life. For many children and adolescents who experience anxiety, a pattern of avoidance of situations that cause feelings of anxiety can result in a more restricted life and contribute to “missing out” on opportunities for enjoyable events and experiences. Anxiety can lead to repeated school absences or school avoidance, an increase on somatic symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches, problems with concentrating on and performing in school due to persistent worrisome thoughts, low self-esteem, limited or decreased quality to social relationships, and the potential for anxiety problems to persist into adulthood.
While anxiety disorders are can be very disruptive to one’s quality of life, they also are quite treatable. At the CAMP clinic, evaluation and treatment services are offered to first determine if the anxiety concerns and symptoms are consistent with an anxiety disorder. We then develop a treatment approach to address the symptoms and the negative impact they are having on the individual’s life. Treatment services can include individual therapy, family therapy/parent training to assist their child in managing anxiety, and medications, when indicated.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders affect between 5 and 10 million women and 1 million men in the United States. Eating disorder symptoms can range from extreme food restriction to the excessive and uncontrollable urge to eat. They can take a toll on an individual’s physical health, emotional health, and their relationships with others. Physical health complications can include osteoporosis, amenorrhoea (cessation of the menstrual cycle in girls), electrolyte imbalances, kidney failure, cardiac arrest, and death.
The two most commonly recognized eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia is characterized by fear of weight gain, a restrictive diet, and extreme weight loss. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by a feeling of a loss of control over how much one eats followed by vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative and diuretic use in order to get rid of unwanted calories. Other people are diagnosed with Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, which includes those struggling with Binge Eating Disorder. The causes of eating disorders are complex and diverse. Pressure to achieve a rigid socially acceptable body-type, stressful life events, and genetics are all thought to play a role in the development of an eating disorder. Eating disorders may also be accompanied by other psychiatric problems like depression or anxiety. Treatments for eating disorders vary depending on diagnosis; however, the most effective and common psychotherapies include cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Treatment may also include the use psychiatric medications such as antidepressants.
CAMP is currently recruiting adolescent females between the ages of 13 and 19 to take part in a study about the treatment of binge eating and bulimia. Participants who qualify will receive free psychotherapy services as well as the most up-to-date, scientifically- supported treatment. For more information, click here.
