Psychiatric disorders in adolescence

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the major psychiatric disorders in the adolescence. Attention and disruptive behavior disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and substance use disorders, and schizophrenia are the main diagnostic categories of adolescent psychiatric disorders. Attention and disruptive behavior disorders include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. Mood disorders include depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders include obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Eating disorders and tic disorders are described in the category of other disorders. This article discusses the demographic and clinical characteristics of the aforementioned disorders, focusing on the adolescent-specific clinical characteristics and the possible co-morbid conditions of each disorder. Diagnostic and evaluative points of each disorder for clinicians are also highlighted.