The NIH brings us some very sobering information on mental illness, and at what age it can become apparent.  Did you know that half of all lifetime cases begin by the age of 14?  This is scary for many parents because we may not know what to look for, nor do we want to admit that our child may need assistance.  This article does a nice job of laying out statistics and treatment patterns so that we can understand the bigger picture. 

This study called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) includes approximately 9,000 survey respondents from English-speaking households.  The results indicate the prevalence of mental illness in young people.  From the news release “...anxiety disorders often begin in late childhood, mood disorders in late adolescence, and substance abuse in the early 20’s. Unlike heart disease or most cancers, young people with mental disorders suffer disability when they are in the prime of life, when they would normally be the most productive....” Also mentioned is the disease persistence - unfortunately, the pattern shows that those diagnosed early in life are slower to seek treatment.