Originally aired on November 19, 2007
Tom Fudge: Mental health problems are an area of medicine that has seen a lot of progress lately when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. But this remains a difficult area of medicine for most people to understand. The mind is a complex and hidden organism. And knowing whether you have a problem can be a challenge. Millions of people have asked themselves, "Am I depressed, or am I just feeling a little down lately?" We all go through mental and emotional trials. And this seems to be particularly true of children.
Kids are still developing – physically and mentally – and some develop more quickly than others. We talk about children going through phases. But when is a phase serious enough to be diagnosed as a mental or emotional problem? And when does the normal lack of juvenile concentration and behavior control become something that ought to be medicated?
Guest
- Lisa Boesky , clinical psychologist who specializes in mental health disorders and youth. She's written the book When to Worry: How to Tell if Your Teen Needs Help and What to Do About It .
