“What’s Wrong with
this Kid anyway?”
You’ve noticed
a personality change in a student.
You’ve thought
of drugs, alcohol abuse, problems at home.
But have you considered mental illness?
Serious
depression, schizophrenia and manic depression are biochemical brain diseases
that often surface during adolescence in students of normal intelligence. Very often, a drug problem may mask a mental
illness, and use of street drugs has been known to precipitate a psychotic
episode in persons with a predisposition toward a mental illness. If you suspect a mental disorder, the student
should be referred to a psychiatrist.
DEPRESSION
In adolescents, depression can manifest itself
through anger, hostility,
withdrawal or a decrease in classroom
performance level, as well as
through the classic symptoms: loss
of appetite, sleeping disorders, feelings
of worthlessness, guilt and
hopelessness. Depression can be fatal. It is
the major cause of suicide.
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Symptoms include hearing voices, delusions, illogical
thinking, inappropriate
or flattened emotions,
withdrawal from family and friends, disconnected and
confused language and strange
behavior. Schizophrenia is not the same
as
multiple personality.
BIPOLAR DISORDER
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic
depression, is characterized by
extreme mood swings. Symptoms of the manic phase include boundless
energy, enthusiasm and need for
activity; grandiose ideas; rapid, loud, dis-
organized speech; impulsive, erratic
behavior; and possibly delusional
thinking. Classic symptoms of depression will appear in
the depressive
phase.
The
munities by providing personalized
programs and referral services. These
include support groups, education and advocacy programs, an
information and referral hotline. For membership information, call (312)
563-0445, or write to us at: NAMI-GC,