Adolescent Psychiatrist

Puberty causes immense mental and physical changes that can trigger or worsen psychological and emotional problems. If your teen struggles because of poor mental health, visit the licensed therapists at Desert View Counseling & Consulting in Phoenix or Peoria, Arizona. The practice’s experienced adolescent psychiatrist offers exceptional care to young people and their families. To learn more about adolescent psychiatry, call Desert View Counseling & Consulting or book an in-person or telehealth appointment using the online scheduling feature today.

What is adolescent psychiatry?

Mental health affects children of all ages, and many struggle with psychiatric disorders. Adolescent psychiatrists specialize in helping young people from 12 manage these conditions and enjoy their lives.

Mental health encompasses emotions, thoughts, behaviors, moods, lifestyle habits, and more. Identifying potential mental health problems early and treating them can help adolescents flourish in all areas of life.

What conditions does an adolescent psychiatrist treat?

Adolescent psychiatrists diagnose and treat disorders that also affect adults, but those that are particularly common in adolescents include:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders (including social anxiety disorder)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Substance use disorder
• Eating disorders
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Adolescents also suffer from problems like low self-esteem, bullying, and grief that could benefit from specialized mental health care. They may have more than one type of mental health challenge at the same time, for example, ADHD and a substance use disorder.

What symptoms indicate adolescents need psychiatric care?

Symptoms suggesting young people might benefit from adolescent psychiatry include:

• Social withdrawal
• Loss of interest in favorite activities
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Ongoing or extreme sadness
• Intense anxiety
• Not being able to focus at school
• Difficulty fitting in or making friends
• Using harmful substances
• Thoughts or talk of suicide
• Weight loss or gain
• Appetite changes
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Fatigue
• Feeling guilty or shameful
• Nightmares or flashbacks
• Obsessions or compulsions
• Phobias

Adolescents often display unwanted, rebellious, or confusing behaviors, which are usually a natural aspect of the transition from childhood to adulthood. However, if your child’s symptoms persist, are severe, or you see sudden or dramatic changes in behavior and mood, have them visit Desert View Counseling & Consulting for an evaluation.

What treatments do adolescent psychiatrists use?

Common treatments that might feature in an adolescent psychiatry care plan include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Family-focused therapy
• Interpersonal therapy
• Medication management
• Lifestyle coaching
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• NeuroStar® transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Exposure and response prevention therapy

Desert View Counseling & Consulting has an experienced adolescent psychiatrist who develops a treatment program tailored to your child’s unique needs after completing a psychiatric evaluation. This includes talking to your child about their emotions, behaviors, thoughts, moods, and lifestyle.

Schedule an in-person or telehealth adolescent psychiatry evaluation by phone or request one online today.