| Mental Health Is Important
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| | having unexplained fears.
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| Mental health is how people think, feel,
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| | Constantly concerned about physical
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| and act as they face life's situations.
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| | problems or physical appearance.
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| It affects how people handle stress,
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| | Frightened that his or her mind either is
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| relate to one another, and make
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| | controlled or is out of control.
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| decisions. Mental health influences the
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| | A child or adolescent experiences big
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| ways individuals look at themselves,
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| | changes, such as:
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| their lives, and others in their lives.
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| | Showing declining performance in school.
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| Like physical health, mental health is
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| | Losing interest in things once enjoyed.
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| important at every stage of life.
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| | Experiencing unexplained changes in
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| All aspects of our lives are affected by
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| | sleeping or eating patterns.
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| our mental health. Caring for and
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| | Avoiding friends or family and wanting to
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| protecting our children is an obligation
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| | be alone all the time.
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| and is critical to their daily lives and
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| | Daydreaming too much and not completing
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| their independence.
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| | tasks.
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| Children and Adolescents Can Have Serious
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| | Feeling life is too hard to handle.
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| Mental Health Problems Like adults,
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| | Hearing voices that cannot be explained.
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| children and adolescents can have mental
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| | Experiencing suicidal thoughts.
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| health disorders that interfere with the
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| | A child or adolescent experiences:
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| way they think, feel, and act. When
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| | Poor concentration and is unable to think
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| untreated, mental health disorders can
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| | straight or make up his or her mind.
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| lead to school failure, family conflicts,
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| | An inability to sit still or focus
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| drug abuse, violence, and even suicide.
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| | attention. Worry about being harmed,
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| Untreated mental health disorders can be
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| | hurting others, or doing something "bad".
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| very costly to families, communities, and
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| | A need to wash, clean things, or perform
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| the health care system.
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| | certain routines hundreds of times a day,
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| In this fact sheet, "Mental Health
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| | in order to avoid an unsubstantiated
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| Problems" for children and adolescents
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| | danger.
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| refers to the range of all diagnosable
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| | Racing thoughts that are almost too fast
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| emotional, behavioral, and mental
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| | to follow. Persistent nightmares.
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| disorders. They include depression,
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| | A child or adolescent behaves in ways
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| attention- deficit/hyperactivity
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| | that cause problems, such as:
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| disorder, and anxiety, conduct, and
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| | Using alcohol or other drugs.
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| eating disorders. Mental health problems
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| | Eating large amounts of food and then
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| affect one in every five young people at
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| | purging, or abusing laxatives, to avoid
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| any given time. "Serious Emotional
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| | weight gain.
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| Disturbances" for children and
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| | Dieting and/or exercising obsessively.
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| adolescents refers to the above disorders
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| | Violating the rights of others or
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| when they severely disrupt daily
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| | constantly breaking the law without
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| functioning in home, school, or
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| | regard for other people.
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| community. Serious emotional disturbances
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| | Setting fires.
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| affect 1 in every 10 young people at any
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| | Doing things that can be life
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| given time.
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| | threatening.
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| Mental Health Disorders Are More Common
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| | Killing animals.
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| in Young People than Many Realize.
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| | Comprehensive Services through Systems of
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| Studies show that at least one in five
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| | Care Can Help Some children diagnosed
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| children and adolescents have a mental
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| | with severe mental health disorders may
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| health disorder. At least one in 10, or
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| | be eligible for comprehensive and
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| about 6 million people, have a serious
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| | community-based services through systems
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| emotional disturbance.
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| | of care. Systems of care help children
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| The Causes Are Complicated
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| | with serious emotional disturbances and
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| Mental health disorders in children and
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| | their families cope with the challenges
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| adolescents are caused mostly by biology
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| | of difficult mental, emotional, or
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| and environment. Examples of biological
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| | behavioral problems. To learn more about
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| causes are genetics, chemical imbalances
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| | systems of care, call the National Mental
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| in the body, or damage to the central
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| | Health Information Center at
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| nervous system, such as a head injury.
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| | 1-800-789-2647, and request fact sheets
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| Many environmental factors also put young
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| | on systems of care and serious emotional
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| people at risk for developing mental
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| | disturbances, or visit the Center's web
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| health disorders. Examples include:
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| | site at
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| Exposure to environmental toxins, such as
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| | Finding the Right Services Is Critical
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| high levels of lead; Exposure to
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| | To find the right services for their
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| violence, such as witnessing or being the
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| | children, families can do the following:
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| victim of physical or sexual abuse,
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| | Get accurate information from hotlines,
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| drive-by shootings, muggings, or other
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| | libraries, or other sources.
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| disasters; Stress related to chronic
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| | Seek referrals from professionals.
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| poverty, discrimination, or other serious
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| | Ask questions about treatments and
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| hardships; and The loss of important
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| | services.
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| people through death, divorce, or broken
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| | Talk to other families in their
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| relationships.
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| | communities.
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| Signs of Mental Health Disorders Can
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| | Find family network organizations.
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| Signal a Need for Help
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| | It is critical that people who are not
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| Children and adolescents with mental
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| | satisfied with the mental health care
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| health issues need to get help as soon as
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| | they receive discuss their concerns with
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| possible. A variety of signs may point to
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| | providers, ask for information, and seek
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| mental health disorders or serious
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| | help from other sources.
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| emotional disturbances in children or
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| | Important Messages About Child and
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| adolescents. Pay attention if a child or
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| | Adolescent Mental Health:
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| adolescent you know has any of these
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| | Every child's mental health is important.
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| warning signs:
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| | Many children have mental health
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| A child or adolescent is troubled by
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| | problems.
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| feeling:
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| | These problems are real, painful, and can
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| Sad and hopeless for no reason, and these
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| | be severe.
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| feelings do not go away. Very angry most
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| | Mental health problems can be recognized
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| of the time and crying a lot or
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| | and treated.
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| overreacting to things.
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| | Caring families and communities working
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| Worthless or guilty often.
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| | together can help.
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| Anxious or worried often.
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| | Information is available; call
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| Unable to get over a loss or death of
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| | 1-800-789-2647.
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| someone important. Extremely fearful or
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