MENTAL HEALTH IN GROWING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A REVIEW OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY AND AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVES

Mental health concerns among growing children and agdolescents are increasingly recognized due to rapid physical & emotional development academic pressure, family stress, and excessive digital exposure. Emotional disorders are common among adolescents. According to WHO estimates, anxiety disorders affect 4.1% of children aged 10-14 years and 5.3% of adolescents aged 15-19 years. Depression is estimated to affect 1.3% of children aged 10-14 years and 3.4% of adolescents aged 15-19 years. From an Ayurvedic perspective, mental disturbances arise from Manasika dosha imbalance, Prajaparadha, improper Ahara-Vihara, and depletion or vitiation of Majja and Rasa Dhatu. Early signs, such as mood instability, reduced concentration, disturbed sleep, and academic decline, often go unnoticed. Aim: This review aims to examine common childhood mental health problems - anxiety, depression, irritability, attention difficulties, and behavioral disturbances through both modern evidence and Ayurvedic concepts.