‘Your Mind’
Schizo! Psycho! Headcase! Split personality! Lunatic! Paranoid!

These are all terms that you might have heard being used to refer to people with mental health problems. You might think that mental health problems happen to “other people” but in fact, it is more common that you think! In any one year, about one in five children will show a significant mental health problem serious enough to need help.

Unfortunately, being in care means that you may be at an ever higher risk for developing mental health problems because many young people in care have had really painful and difficult experiences, which led to them coming into care. So it is really important that you recognise the signs and symptoms of some of the most common mental health problems so you know if you might need to get help.

What exactly are mental health problems?

Mental health problems affect your thoughts, body, feelings, mental functioning (e.g. concentration, memory) and behaviour (actions). Having mental health problems doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to take medication or be locked up in a mental institution. They can be mild (you might just have a few symptoms) or they may be more severe (and require talking to a professional about them).

Although mental health problems can occur at any age, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and psychotic illnesses often commence in adolescence or early adult life.

Most mental health problems develop gradually over a period of weeks or months. However, some develop quite quickly, usually as a result of a stressful life event. They may be one-off problems, or happen on a recurring (episodic) basis through the person’s life.

How do I know if I have one?

There are many different types of mental health problems and each have their own specific pattern of symptoms.

Feeling sad,  Feeling paranoid, Feeling worried or Feeling hyperactive.