What are the symptoms of a potential problem in an adolescent?
The following are the most common symptoms of a potential emotional, behavioral, and/or developmental problem in the older, adolescent child, which necessitates a psychiatric evaluation. However, each adolescent may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: • significant decline in school performance or poor grades (even though the adolescent studies and tries hard to succeed) • social withdrawal from activities, friends, family • substance (alcohol and drugs) abuse • sleep disturbances (i.e., persistent night terrors, nightmares, insomnia, hypersomnia) • depression (poor mood, negativity, mood swings) • appetite changes (i.e., refusal to eat, excessive eating, food rituals, bingeing, purging) • continuous or frequent aggression or “acting out” (for periods longer than six months) • continuous or frequent rebellion; opposition to authority and direction (for periods longer than six months) • continuous or frequent anger (for periods longer than six months) • skipping schoo
