Parent Guides A-Z
Written by Evolve's Behavioral Health Content Team
Alyson Orcena, LMFT • Melissa Vallas, MD • Shikha Verma, MD • Ellen Bloch, LCSW • Lianne Tendler, LMFT • Megan Johnston, LMFT
Frequent binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and excessive exercise are common indicators of bulimia nervosa – a serious and potentially deadly eating disorder that impacts many teens. Bombarded with messages from the media, their peers, and society in general that suggest their value, self-worth, and desirability are directly tied to being thin, some teens […]
What are Co-Occurring Disorders? When a person – child, adolescent, or adult – is diagnosed with a mental health disorder and an alcohol/substance use disorder (AUD/SUD) at the same time, they receive a dual diagnosis. A person with a dual diagnosis has what mental health professionals call co-occurring disorders. Mental health disorders that commonly co-occur […]
There’s something inherently disturbing – at least for most people – at the thought of anyone intentionally cutting himself or herself. And yet, a surprising number of young, vulnerable teens gravitate towards this behavior – and their parents are completely oblivious. Teens who engage in cutting usually aren’t trying to commit suicide. Death is rarely […]
Mood Disorders in Teens: Depression Most parents of teens agree that adolescence can be a challenging phase of life, often accompanied by emotional ups and downs. The combination of rapidly changing bodies, identity issues, raging hormones, and myriad social pressures can trigger occasional sad and blue days for even the most well-adjusted adolescent. Unfortunately, for […]
What is DMDD? A relatively new psychiatric disorder known as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, or DMDD for short, may be the proper diagnosis if you’re dealing with a teen with a combination of mood symptoms and highly disruptive and intense behaviors. Frequent anger outbursts combined with persistent, severe, and chronic irritability are the primary symptoms […]
Helping your child navigate the choppy waters of adolescence is probably one of the most difficult parenting tasks of all. Teens are hard-wired to stretch their wings, try new things, and take risks to learn about themselves and grow into young adults. Unfortunately, experimenting with mind-altering substances is a dangerous temptation many teens find irresistible […]
Most of us never gave much thought to our gender identity growing up. As we navigated our way through childhood and adolescence, we felt comfortable – for the most part – aligning with the expected behaviors associated with our gender. It was a non-issue. Sadly, however, that’s not the case for some individuals. They never […]
Many adolescents worry from time to time about things like passing an exam, their weight or appearance, family problems, and whether some boy or girl really likes them. Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD for short, causes teens to feel anxious and worry excessively about everything and anything, even when there’s no rational reason to be […]
It’s normal for teens to be impulsive, forgetful, and distracted at times. Their energy levels can fluctuate as well, depending on how much sleep they’re getting and what’s going on at any given moment in their lives. Some teens, unfortunately, struggle on a daily basis with being able to focus, remember everything they need to […]
It’s heartbreaking for parents to discover that their child’s development isn’t on par with other children his or her age. Asperger’s Syndrome, which primarily impacts social and communication skills, fits into a category of delayed development formerly known as “pervasive developmental disorders”. Up until 2013, Asperger’s Syndrome was diagnosed as a distinct disorder. However, since […]
Binge eating disorder (BED for short) is a relatively new diagnosis, although binge eating has been around for a very long time. While many teens binge eat from time to time, the behavior becomes problematic and serious when it’s occurring on a regular basis. Since the excessive eating often occurs in secret, it’s not always […]
What is Bipolar Disorder in Teens & Adolescents Mood swings are often considered a typical part of adolescence – just ask any parent with one or more teenagers at home. However, typical teenage mood swings are different from the intense mood swings of associated with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a serious, lifelong psychiatric illness. […]
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