Common Teen Disorders

ADD and ADHD
Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) describes an inability to concentrate. Children with ADHD become distracted very easily and cannot focus on tasks. Studies suggest that 5-10% of children, adolescents and adults may have ADHD. ADHD is very similar to ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. In fact, ADD and ADHD are only different in one respect: ADHD is associated with hyperactivity, and therefore more behavioral problems. However, the two terms are often used interchangeable, especially in older literature.

Children who have ADHD may seem overly active and move about a lot. Children with ADD often do not show this behavior. Instead, they seem to miss ideas, or "not pay attention" in class. Some children display both patterns.

ODD
While all children are uncooperative at one time or another, if a child has a constant pattern of hostile, persistently difficult behavior which interferes with daily life, they may have ODD. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or ODD, is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by two different traits: (1) aggressiveness and (2) a tendency to purposefully bother and irritate others. ODD is often present with other neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD, depression, tourette's, or anxiety disorders.

DEPRESSION
Though the term "depression" can describe a normal human emotion, it also refers to a mental health illness. Depressive illness in children and teens is defined when the feelings of depression persist and interfere with a child or adolescent's ability to function. Depression is common in teens and younger children. About 5 percent of children and adolescents in the general population suffer from depression at any given point in time. Children under stress, who experience loss, or who have attention, learning, conduct or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Teenage girls are at especially high risk, as are minority youth.

BIPOLAR DISORDER
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression, affects at least 2 million Americans at any given time. The disorder is characterized by alternating periods of extreme moods. A person with Bipolar disorder experiences mood cycles that usually swing from being overly elated or irritable (mania) to sad and hopeless (depression) and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between. While everyone experiences mood swings, individuals with bi-polar are different because their mood swings are so complete and extreme, that they are often unrecognizable as the same person. For those who have this disorder, it can be extremely distressing and disruptive. The frequency of the swings between these two states, and the duration of the mood, varies from person to person.

BULIMIA
Bulimia, also called bulimia nervosa, is a psychological eating disorder. Bulimia is characterized by episodes of binge-eating followed by inappropriate methods of weight control (purging). Inappropriate methods of weight control include vomiting, fasting, enemas, excessive use of laxatives and diuretics, or compulsive exercising. Excessive shape and weight concerns are also characteristics of bulimia.

ANOREXIA
Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening eating disorder defined by a refusal to maintain body weight within 15 percent of an individual's minimal normal weight. Other essential features of this disorder include an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and amenorrhea in women (absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles when otherwise expected to occur).

These two eating disorders often exist together, creating a pattern of starving and binging-purging. This pattern is very dangerous and can cause dramatically shifting weight.