As students return to school, North Texas Salience Health psychiatrist Dr. Shanila Shagufta said it's important for parents to look for signs of mental health challenges in children and teens.
The context: One in five adolescents experience mental health challenges—emotional, mental, or behavioral—in any given year, Shagufta said, a figure confirmed by the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
Salience Health, which offers mental health treatments, has locations in Frisco, Allen, Dallas, McKinney and Plano, according to its website. A new location is planned to open in Southlake at the end of August.
Put in perspective: There are two primary diagnoses seen in adolescents—anxiety and depression—Shagufta said. A significant contributing factor to this mental health crisis is that many social interactions now occur on virtual platforms and some young people struggle to develop social skills in that setting, Shagufta said.
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