Children and young people’s guides

Anxiety can be overwhelming for some children and young people and prevent them from doing normal daily activities.

Autism is a spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, understands social situations, and experiences the world - and can sometimes make everyday activities more challenging.

Young people are often concerned about aspects of their physical appearance but in Body Dysmorphic Disorder this becomes an extreme focus on flaws that others would not notice.

Feeling sad at times is healthy and a normal reaction to stressful experiences but if sadness is persistent for weeks, these feelings can become an illness.

Adolescent drug use is often teenage experimentation and short lived, although a minority of cases develop into problematic substance use or addictions.

Eating disorders are a group of conditions where unhealthy eating habits develop and the young person can eat too little or too much or worrying about the way their body looks.

Stress related hallucinations and dissociation in teens are coping mechanisms where the brain disconnects from reality, memories, or feelings to manage overwhelming stress, trauma, or intense emotions.

OCD is an anxiety disorder where obsessions and/or compulsions are experienced that interfere with everyday life.

Psychotic episodes occur when a young person’s emotions and thoughts become so disturbed they lose contact with reality.

Children and young people can suffer a traumatic stress response if they witness or experience an extremely frightening event.

Difficulties in sleeping are extremely common, both in childhood and adolescence, and most of us will struggle with sleep at times.