With good mental health treatment and the support of friends and family, Jason finally began to feel hopeful about his future. By participating actively in Jason’s treatment, his family members learned helpful ways of supporting Jason. They all worked together to develop an effective treatment plan that included psychotherapy and medication. There Jason and his family began meeting with a treatment team to become educated about the problems he was having. Jason’s concerned parents took him to the local mental health center. He became very confused and frightened by his experiences, and he had thoughts of suicide. There were times when Jason felt certain someone was out to harm him. He became so exhausted from severe depression, there were many days when he couldn’t even get out of bed. The year he turned 19, Jason began having serious problems. Jason’s story: Recovering from severe mental health problems By getting treatment, Emily was able to stabilize her weight and regain her mental and physical health. With help, she was able to improve her self-image as well as her eating habits. Through psychotherapy, Emily learned how her feelings influenced her eating. The doctor helped Emily realize that her eating problems, if left untreated, eventually could threaten her life.Įmily’s physician helped convince her to get the mental health treatment she needed. During an office visit, her family physician noticed that Emily’s weight had dropped and asked questions about her eating habits. During meals with her family, Emily would move food around her plate instead of eating it.Įmily began to develop medical problems as a result of her eating behavior. Emily tried to keep her refusal to eat hidden from others. When her family and friends expressed concern to Emily about her weight loss, she withdrew from them. Despite her scary appearance to others, Emily believed she still needed to lose more weight. But by her senior year, she focused constantly on her weight and cut way back on the amount she ate. She also learned how her thoughts could influence her panic attacks.Īs Carmen practiced her new skills, her attacks occurred less often, and she gradually became more comfortable in situations that had scared her so much.Įmily’s story: Finding help for problem eatingĮarly in high school, Emily began to diet occasionally and watch her weight. Through psychotherapy, or talk therapy, Carmen learned relaxation and other techniques for dealing with her intense anxiety. Since Carmen’s mother knew something about panic attacks and their treatment, her mother convinced Carmen that she should work with a psychologist to help reduce her fear and relieve her emotional pain. Carmen was surprised to learn that other family members had dealt with the same problem. She was reluctant at first, but Carmen eventually told her mother about her panic attacks. In many ways, fear was controlling her life. Carmen began thinking about all the different situations where the attacks might happen, and she avoided those places. Experiences like eating out in a restaurant seemed to trigger an attack. Suddenly, her heart would start racing, she couldn’t catch her breath, and she felt dizzy. The following success stories reflect what can happen when young people with mental health problems choose to seek help.Ĭarmen was 14 when she started having panic attacks. Fortunately, there’s a good chance that an individual will improve by getting appropriate treatment. The pain and emotional discomfort that people experience when they have mental health problems are real. Sometimes getting help is a matter of changing your mind. That kind of thinking prevents people from getting the help they need. Often however, young people ignore mental health problems thinking they will “snap out of it,” or that they are something to be ashamed of. If you broke your leg or came down with pneumonia, you wouldn’t let it go untreated. Research shows that effective treatments are available that can help members of all racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Unfortunately, most young people with mental health problems don’t get any treatment for them. Sadly, suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens. National statistics indicate that one in every five teens has some type of mental health problem in any given year. It is not uncommon for teenagers to develop problems with their mental health. Having good mental health helps you make good decisions and deal with life’s challenges at home, work, or school. Good mental health leads to positive self-image and in turn, satisfying relationships with friends and others. It’s the way your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect your life.
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