When situations arise that trigger powerful emotions in children – the loss of a parent, abuse or neglect – they sometimes don't have the coping skills and support necessary to prevent disruptive and unhealthy behaviors.
Adolescence is a time of restlessness, when teenagers are filled with anxiety about their status in the world and excitement about possibilities for their futures. They begin to pull away from their parents and struggle with finding their own identities. They face many challenges, such as peer pressure, increasing drug and alcohol use and escalating violence.
Talking about emotional or behavioral problems is difficult for most people. Yet tens of millions of Americans experience emotional or mental disorders, disorders caused by complex biological, hormonal, genetic, chemical and psychosocial factors. These problems can show up in feelings of despair and hopelessness, in anxiousness, in a sense of distance from family and friends, and in other ways.
Memory loss, depression, anxiety, acute psychosis, substance abuse. A wide range of psychological, behavioral and emotional conditions – and confusion about where to turn for help – can be especially frightening when they affect seniors. It's not part of the normal aging process to experience these conditions.
