But mental illness is real, it can be treated and should be considered similar to any illness. Certainly no one would avoid treatment for diabetes or cancer, but the same person might feel ashamed of having a mental illness. The greatest harm comes from leaving mental illness untreated. Treatment only lasts as long as is necessary. The goal of any mental health treatment is for the individual to function independently and to feel successful and fulfilled in life.
Different problems require different types of treatments for differing amounts of time.
Certainly the sooner treatment is begun the better - the sooner the improvement and the better the prognosis. A wide variety of treatments is available. Once options are explained, any treatment decision is best made between the professional and the parent. Some treatments are carried out alone, some in combination with medications. Licensed professionals are bound by both a code of ethics and state laws which allows information told to a therapist to be kept confidential between the client and therapist.