Adolescent Psychiatry

Adolescents — young people aged 12 to 18 — go through seismic changes that often trigger mental health problems. Experienced psychiatrist Paroma Mitra, MD, with Margaret Miller, DNP, LMSW and Kara Grayson, LCSW and the team at Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry in Greenwich, Connecticut, take great pride in being at the forefront of addressing declining adolescent mental health in the United States. They offer specialized services to help young people overcome their mental health challenges. Call Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry for more information on adolescent psychiatry or request an in-person or telehealth consultation online today.

What is adolescent psychiatry?

Adolescent psychiatry helps young people aged 12 to 18 with their mental health problems. Many psychiatric conditions affect adolescents, including:

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Eating disorders
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
• Conduct disorder
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance use disorder

The Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry team recognizes the unique pressures and challenges that today’s adolescents face in a world dominated by increasingly intrusive social media.

What symptoms indicate an adolescent needs psychiatric help?

Inappropriate, destructive, and challenging behaviors that persist for long periods and interfere with home and school life indicate a young person would benefit from psychiatric support. Specific symptoms include:

• Falling grades
• Excessive anxiety
• Refusing to go to school
• Constant hyperactivity
• Social isolation
• Angry outbursts
• Worsening sadness, despair, and self-loathing
• Difficulty sleeping
• Memory and concentration problems
• Losing interest in pleasurable pastimes
• Repetitive risk-taking
• Frequent nightmares
• Verbal or physical aggression
• Emotional dysregulation (difficulty managing feelings)

Self-harm and suicidal thoughts signify severe mental health issues that require urgent attention.

It’s not always easy to differentiate typical adolescent behavior and psychiatric disorder symptoms. Whatever’s concerning you about your child, the Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry team provides expert diagnoses and effective treatments.

What does adolescent psychiatry involve?

Adolescent psychiatry treatments include:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy (talk therapy) enables adolescents to discuss their problems and feelings openly. Their therapist helps them recognize unhelpful emotions and negotiate adverse experiences. 

Some psychotherapy techniques show adolescents how to cope with the varying challenges mental health conditions cause in daily life, helping them to manage more successfully at school and home.

Medication management

Medications can help treat psychiatric problems in some adolescents. However, a skilled expert needs to manage your child’s medicines because of the different ways drugs affect children and adults.

The Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry team dedicates itself to providing specialized adolescent treatment that goes beyond conventional mental health recovery. Their approach fosters resilience and equips young people with the tools they require to thrive in daily life and achieve their goals.

The team not only helps adolescents heal but also empowers them so they can successfully navigate social media and other complexities of the modern world. They aim to make a meaningful impact on adolescents’ mental well-being and general quality of life.

Call Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry or request an appointment online today for exceptional adolescent mental health diagnosis and treatment.