Adolescent Psychiatry

What is adolescent psychiatry?

Adolescent psychiatry focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions in teenagers. The teenage brain is still developing, particularly the regions governing judgment, impulse control, and emotional regulation, so symptoms look different at 15 than they do at 40.

Depression in a teen often reads as irritability or anger rather than sadness. Anxiety tends to come out as physical complaints, avoidance, or refusing to go to school. Tammie keeps your teen’s stage of development front and center when she interprets what she sees.

When should my teen see someone for adolescent psychiatry?

While most teenagers go through stretches of moodiness and withdrawal without anything being wrong, what sets a mental health condition apart is how long the change lasts and whether it affects school, friendships, or home life. Watch for:

• Grades dropping over a semester
• Pulling away from friends and activities
• Sleeping far more or far less than usual
• Appetite or weight changes
• Anger out of proportion to the situation
• Loss of interest in things they loved
• Repeated stomachaches or headaches their pediatrician cannot explain
• Remarks about self-harm or wishing they were gone

Treat any mention of self-harm as urgent, and contact the practice or emergency services that day.

Which conditions does adolescent psychiatry cover?

Tammie works with teens across a wide span of diagnoses, including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder and other mood conditions
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Eating disorders
• Substance use disorder (SUD)
• Insomnia

Many teens meet criteria for more than one, and sorting out which symptoms belong to which condition shapes the treatment plan.

What does treatment look like in adolescent psychiatry?

Your teen’s first appointment covers their symptoms, their history, what’s happening at school and at home, and what they want out of treatment. Tammie talks with your teen directly and brings you in where it helps, since teenagers open up more when they have some privacy.

Most plans start with therapy and build from there. When medication makes sense, Tammie explains the reasoning to both of you, starts conservatively, and watches closely for side effects. She also coordinates with school counselors and pediatricians when that supports the plan.

If something about your teen has you concerned, an evaluation is the place to start. Call Mindful Mental Health or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.