Session 3: Different dimensions of adolescent mental health

Introduction

Mental health becomes a problem when it interferes with daily life.

Figure 1

Show description|Hide description

Depressed or sad young person sitting on the floor with head resting on knees and arms wrapped around legs.

Figure 1

Although individuals vary, there are certain signs and behaviours that can signal that a young person is struggling with their mental health and in this session you’ll learn about some of them. Mental health depends on social, emotional and psychological wellbeing. The causes of mental health problems are often a combination of biology (how the brain and body work, especially in response to stress), psychological traits (e.g. personality type), the social environment (life experience), and sometimes certain chemical substances (such as alcohol or marijuana). A tendency to develop mental health problems can run in families, although the reasons for this are complicated and may include inequalities and poverty that run between generations. There is still a great deal of debate among researchers about how these factors interact. However, most experts now agree that there is rarely a single cause.

To get started on understanding some of the different dimensions that can affect mental health, watch the video, which features a group of young people describing their own experiences of mental health problems.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1: Mental health in our own words

Show transcript|Hide transcript

Transcript: Video 1: Mental health in our own words

SPEAKER 1

I was about 16 when I was diagnosed with depression. My doctors think that it stemmed from my parents divorced and struggling with school really.

SPEAKER 2

It all started when my father died when I was at high school.

SPEAKER 3

It all started in University during my final year.

SPEAKER 4

It all started when I was 16 I came out of a relationship I was in at the time I started purging and self-harming.

SPEAKER 5

I first realized I had a mental health problem when I was 15. I was cutting myself every day and crying all the time.

SPEAKER 6

Soon after the attack happened I started to feel throes of anxiety, panic attacks started creeping in.

SPEAKER 7

I first realized that I had a problem when I really wanted to stop all the things I was doing, but I just couldn't seem to stop no matter how badly I wanted to.

SPEAKER 8

I was suffering from hallucinations, which at the time were really scary because I didn't know what was reality and what was my imagination.

SPEAKER 4

At my worst I felt like I was absolutely worthless alienating and destructive with no help of recovery.

SPEAKER 9

I felt like I had this black cloud hanging constantly over my head and it's just a feeling that stays with you and you can't seem to get away from it at all and you feel completely alone.

SPEAKER 10

I felt like this was going to be it forever.

SPEAKER 8

I felt I say, I'd never reach any of my ambitions or my goals.

SPEAKER 11

I felt like I was in my own bubble hearing muffled voices of people around me.

SPEAKER 3

When I had my first mental break, proper mental breakdown and I decided to run away from home.

End transcript: Video 1: Mental health in our own words

Download

Video 1: Mental health in our own words

This session will introduce you to four sets of common mental health problems, starting with anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression are commonly used terms, and you will get below the surface to discover what they mean. Anxiety and depression can sometimes develop into other behaviours such as eating disorders and self-harm. On your journey through this session, you may encounter material that can be unsettling, although we hope that the knowledge and understanding you gain will help you to become a more effective supporter of young people who are struggling with their mental health. If you are affected by any of the course material please refer to our support notes at the end of this session [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .