How do I know if my child or adolescent needs help?
The following common warning signs amongst children and adolescents may suggest possible emotional, behavioural or mental health problems:
- Decline in school performance
- Loss of interest in things once enjoyed
- Unexplained changes in sleeping or eating patterns
- Avoiding friends or family and wanting to be alone all the time
- Daydreaming too much and not completing tasks
- Behavioural problems such as acting out and tantrums
- Selective mutism and communication problems
- Isolating him/herself from others
Furthermore, a child or adolescent may require help if they experience:
- Sadness and hopelessness that doesn't seem to go away
- Anxiety, nervousness or worry more than most other young people
- Anger most of the time and cries a lot or overreacts to things
- Worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Difficulty getting over a loss or death of someone important
- Extreme fearfulness or having unexplained fears
- Constant concern about physical problems or physical appearance
- Fear that his or her mind either is controlled or is out of control
- Suicidal thoughts or self harming behaviors
- Poor concentration and inability to think straight or make up his or her mind
- An inability to sit still or focus attention
- Worry about being harmed, hurting others, or doing something 'bad'
- A need to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines many times a day
- Racing thoughts that are almost too fast to follow
- Persistent nightmares or flashbacks of past events
A child or adolescent may require our specialised help if they are:
- Using alcohol or other drugs (or you suspect their use)
- Self-harming such as head-banging, hair-pulling or cutting
- Eating large amounts of food and then purge to avoid weight gain, or severely limiting food intake
- Dieting and/or exercising obsessively
- Engaging in sexually risky behaviors
- Violating the rights of others or constantly breaking the law without regard for others
- Setting fires or vandalising property
- Hurting or threatening other children
- Injuring or killing animals
If you have any concerns about a child or adolescent's welfare, emotional or behavioural problems and to book appointments, please do not hesitate to contact CPG on:
Tel 0845 0177 838
email contact@city-psychology.co.uk
