Only old people have mental health problems. - FALSE

There is general agreement that at any one time at least 10% of children and young people suffer from emotional and behavioural problems (mental health problems) which significantly affect their everyday lives.  The figure is probably nearer 20% - that is one person in every time.

Problems can show themselves as anxiety, depressions, eating disorders, aggressive behaviour or  phobias.  Serious mental illnesses are rare in children and very uncommon in young teenagers.  But at some time in their lives all young people are likely to feel frightened or sad or upset.  If these feelings don't go away quickly they can start to affect school work or relationships.  Problems may show themselves as aggressive behaviour, disobedience, stealing, running away or fighting.

	At any one time 50 pupils will be seriously depressed
	A further 100 will be suffering significant distress
	Between 5 and 10 girls at the school will be affected by eating disorders.
	10 to 20 pupils will have an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

And in an average class of 30 students you could expect at least 3 people to be experiencing some mental health problems.