In the United States, there are about 70% of teenagers who are experiencing serious behavioral and emotional problems. Doctors often recommended that in these troubled teens receive mental health services without the need for medication. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that one such method could include counseling that could be provided in a clinical setting or other types of environments.
Experts say that between the years 2010 and 2012 they conducted an observation of American teenagers suffering from mental health problems that received non-medication services. These services included counseling sessions that were provided in clinics, childcare centers, at home, or in school. With these programs, the teenagers took part in special programs for students with the behavioral or emotional difficulties. Researchers found that out of all the adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 that receive non-medication services, over 4% still developed serious mental health difficulties. The report also included data from parents who were asked whether their children were experiencing emotional, behavioral, attention, or social difficulties. Results showed that about 6% of these teens had underlying mental health issues.
According to Dr. David Axelson, chief psychiatrist at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, "There are many non-medication mental health services that have evidence that they are effective for treating mental health disorders, so it is important to know whether teams are receiving these services. The majority of kids do receive it some kind of service, which is positive. However, it would be best if all youth with significant mental or behavioral health problems received non-medication treatment appropriate for their condition."
He added that, depending on how severe the mental problem is, non-medication treatments may have to be used in conjunction with medication to fully help the patient. Previous research studies conducted by the CDC have revealed that an estimated 7.5% of American children and teenagers are already taking prescription medication to manage mental health problems. Statistics also showed that medication use is A work among girls than boys.
