Experience big changes in the way you get along: for example, you:

• Do much worse in school.
• Lost interest in things you usually enjoy.
• Have unexplained changes in sleeping or eating.
• Avoid friends or family and want to be alone all the time.
• Daydream so much you can't get things done.
• Feel as if you can't handle life or consider suicide.
• Hear voices talking to you or about you that you cannot explain.

Find yourself limited by:

• Poor concentration - you can't think straight or make up your mind.
• Being unable to sit still or focus your attention.
• Worrying about being harmed, hurting others, or about doing something "bad".
• Feeling like you have to wash, clean things, or perform certain routines hundreds of times a day in order to avoid danger.
• Thoughts that race through you head - almost so fast you can't follow them.
• Persistent nightmares.

Behave in ways that cause you problems, for example:

• Use alcohol or other drugs.
• Ear large amounts of food and then make yourself vomit, abuse laxatives or take enemas to avoid weight gain.
• Continue to diet and/or exercise obsessively although bone thin.
• Constantly violate the rights of others or break the law without regard for other people.
• Do things that can be life threatening.

What helps?

Mental health problems are painful. They can hurt as much as (or more than) a serious physical injury. If you have a mental health problem, the sooner you get the right help, the sooner you may feel better.

Some of the things that may help are:

• Counselling
• Family therapy
• Group therapy
• Crisis care
• Behavior therapy
• Special camp programs
• Medications
• Day treatment
• Education program
• Tutoring

Examples of where these people may work are:

• Clinics or private offices
• Schools
• Social service agencies
• Community mental health centers
• Non-government organizations (NGOS)