Many will think that the photo in this text looks like an LP cover of some rock group from the 80s, right? But as you can see on the picture, High Tension released the song Sweet Fourteen in 2000. Which for some people means an eternity, right? The time dimension and its perception is different for each of us. But reality has that ability to anchor us, and when we tend not to look at it, we often make mistakes.
I'm not going to talk to you about music, let alone High Tension. At most I would talk about AC DC and the Highway to Hell album. Which is actually the same thing when I tell you what I want to tell you.
A systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents in Europe" was recently published. And that in one sentence sums up what should be of concern to all of us. The vast majority of mental disorders appear around the age of 14 years, and very often, the vast majority of these remain undiagnosed until adulthood. About one in five children in Europe is diagnosed with a mental disorder. Anxiety disorders are those at the forefront of this figure. Followed by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders and autism spectrum disorder.
One has to think that in European countries children and young people follow their usual and routine consultations with their family doctor and general practitioner, paediatrician or other medical or psychological speciality. However, the screening of these psychiatric situations in child and adolescent mental health seems not to be detected and/or properly valued.
Moral and social readings are still present. That's the stuff of adolescence! You'll see when you reach adulthood it's all over! These and similar phrases continue to be heard in various contexts. And to frame behaviours that are already problematic in themselves or that point to the possibility of becoming so. Other aspects more related to the stigma towards mental health have had an equal participation in the postponement of a call for help.
Child and adolescent mental health needs a different response, namely in screening programmes in public health services and that can provide timely indicators for early intervention work. But also continue to fight for the implementation of changes that help to prevent these same situations, helping to create an environment that promotes a better quality of life. In addition to insisting on awareness-raising programmes and combating the stigma surrounding mental health. And to improve health responses and reduce socio-economic inequalities, factors that are known to be risk factors for the emergence of these situations.
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