Is this normal?: Assessing mental health in young people

Abstract

Background: Mental ill-health is a key health issue facing young Australians today. While the physical health of young people has improved in recent decades, their mental health appears to have worsened. Mental health and substance use disorders now account for over 50% of the burden of disease in the 15-25 years age group, and 75% of mental health disorders that will affect people across the lifespan will have emerged for the first time by the age of 25 years. Objective: This article provides the general practitioner with key factors in assessing the young person with a mental illness: when to worry and what the early stages of mental illness look like; and provides guidance and tips for ef..