Mental Illness Starts in Childhood

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For most people who develop mental illnesses, the problem usually starts in childhood or adolescence, according to a study published in the June 6, 2005 Archives of General Psychiatry. Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted face-to-face surveys of almost 10,000 adults to learn about how common psychological problems are in the general population, and at what ages they begin.

The most common specific problem in adults was major depression, followed by alcohol abuse, specific phobias, and social phobias. The most common broad class of disorders was anxiety disorders, followed by impulse-control disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse disorders.

Across the board, half of all disorders in adults had started by age 14! This is astounding. The average age for the start of anxiety disorders and impulse-control disorders was even younger, at age 11. The starting ages were concentrated in a surprisingly narrow range for most of the disorders studied. For instance, half of all impulse-control disorders started between age 7 and 15.

Most of the illnesses were minor at the outset. Without help, mild or low-level problems can escalate later in life to severe or chronic depression, phobias, or anxieties. This calls for a change in our priorities and awareness. Most of our mental health budget is spent on adults. This striking study suggests that our efforts toward prevention, early detection, and early treatment should be focused on our youth.

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Alan Greene M.D., F.A.A.P. aka DrGreene
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Comments

Anonymous's picture
lisa

I'm a thirty seven year old

I'm a thirty seven year old mother of five children, ages 14 to 1 1/2. I have had bouts of anxiety and depression starting at age 19. I am afraid for my children. I've heard that it can be genetic. I was told by a therapist that it was my childhood that created my anxiety and depression. My children have a great life. Will that make a difference? It is a scary thing to have and I want them to be well.
Anonymous's picture
shonna day

I'm a very concerned parent

I'm a very concerned parent that has a adhd child he's now 13 there is very little help for these children often they suggest pills and no coping solutions, schools are very irritated by these children, they're solutions are often always suspend, retain, expulsion,isolate, there has got to be a better solution in dealing with these type of children, I can only say we spend lots of money finding out why people use drugs and alcohol, but societies solution is to medicate or iradicate if you can come up with some sound solution for our government I need help in howard county Indiana thanks in advance
Anonymous's picture
Lisa

I am a 25 year old mother of

I am a 25 year old mother of two. Last summer I was diagnosed with bipolar and generalized anxiety. My seven year old is displaying many of the same symptoms I did as a child, but no one noticed the signs when I was young. It took a COMPLETE breakdown before I was diagnosed. I don't want my daughter to go through the same torture I had to endure.
Anonymous's picture
kathryn pizzo

the US spends so little

the US spends so little overall on mental health care. I agree that we need to start focusing earlier in life, but that must be coupled with increasing overall funding for adults and children's mental health prevention and treatment. Further, culturally and societally, we need to acknowledge mental illness as an illness just like any other disease, and not continue to believe that those afflicted can "cure themselves", or treat themselves any more than someone with cancer could.