Why I do not Give a Psychological Diagnosis to my Teenage Patients

A psychological diagnosis is about meeting behavioral and emotional criteria, functioning like a check list. You look at the list of symptoms - persistent sadness, trouble sleeping, constant worrying, etc – you see how many of these symptoms the teen in question displays and if they have a certain number of them you assign the diagnosis. It is not a difficult or complicated process. It is almost exclusively descriptive and it does not contribute to my understanding of my teenage patients or how to help them. It is not useful clinically. Researchers use diagnosis as a way to run studies on large groups of people who, on the surface, have similar difficulties. Insurance companies demand the assignment of a diagnosis in order to reimburse.

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Anxiety Disorders and Teenagers : Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a normal part of the human psyche. Everyone has felt the effects of temporary anxiety. Moments before giving a big presentation, taking a tough exam, or other stressful events can temporarily raise your heart rate, make your stomach turn, and make you sweat. Anxiety is a necessary mental reaction to help prepare you for anticipated difficult situations. It can help keep you focused, alert, and motivated to solve problems. These reactions to stress are very common but what is the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder that requires professional help? Much like the difference between occasional sadness and depression, anxiety becomes a disorder when a person is chronically displaying anxiety symptoms and interferes with common day activities and responsibilities. Anxiety disorders can develop at a young age and increase as teenagers get older according to National Comorbidity Survey Replication – Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A).

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