A recent listening tour conducted by Blue Cross NC highlighted a troubling trend in the state’s youth mental health. One in six teens report persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, with young women and LGBTQ+ youth at particularly high risk.
Be attentive to any changes in your child’s behavior, especially if they seem more sullen or withdrawn than usual. Consider seeking a mental health assessment.
1. Suicide
The teen years are a time of significant change, and many youth experience strong feelings of stress and confusion. They may also feel pressure to succeed or be perfect. In addition, they may be dealing with issues like bullying, self-harm or depression. These challenges can cause them to think about suicide, especially if they are already struggling.
Among teens, rates of suicide have increased dramatically over the past decade, and Black children and teens are disproportionately affected. This has led to a crisis in children’s mental health. In 2021, the AAP and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, along with CHA, declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health.
Research shows that protective factors, such as caregiver nurturance and social support, can decrease the likelihood of suicide-related behaviors. We need to focus on identifying and implementing these strategies at the individual, family, school and community levels.
2. Self-harm
Although a person who hurts themselves may say they’re not suicidal, the practice of self-injury can lead to serious medical complications including infections, nerve damage and severe scarring. It can also affect a person’s relationships with family, friends and other loved ones.
Experts expect the COVID-19 pandemic to have caused a drop in nonfatal injuries, but new data shows incidences of self-injury have rocketed. Girls are especially at risk.
Providing immediate care to teens who self-injure can help them engage with long-term treatment for the mental health issues that cause their pain, like anxiety or depression. Research indicates that family-based interventions, such as dialectical behaviour therapy or attachment based family treatment, are effective. They can also help adolescents reduce their risk of recurrent self-harm.
3. Drug or alcohol abuse
Drug and alcohol abuse is a prevalent concern among youth and can cause a variety of problems. It can lead to academic difficulties, health-related issues, poor peer relationships, and even juvenile justice involvement. It can also drain family resources and place a strain on the community.
Adolescent substance use often involves risky behaviors such as experimenting with illicit drugs (cocaine, heroin, inhalants) or injection drugs (methamphetamines, hallucinogens, ecstasy). It may also involve misusing prescription medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet.
Adolescents who abuse substances are more likely to be involved in gangs and other illegal activities, which can lead to serious criminal consequences such as violent crime and/or involvement with the juvenile or adult justice system. Some effective prevention approaches involve teaching parents to talk with their children about drugs and alcohol.
4. Illness or injury
Many youth are dealing with serious health issues, and their emotional well-being can suffer from them. They might not have a therapist, or their parents might not be able to support them.
CDC’s 2023 survey shows that 40% of high school students have persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, and some consider suicide seriously. This trend is worse among girls and LGBTQ+ youth.
The causes of this trend are complex. Proximal factors include developmental changes during adolescence, family environment, education and lifestyle, childhood trauma, social media, and bullying. Distal factors include economic trends, including labour and housing markets, socio-economic disadvantage and inequality, climate change and politics. These factors can exacerbate or alleviate mental health challenges. They might also impact each other in a complex way.
5. Trauma
Traumatic experiences can undermine a person’s sense of safety in the world and create a feeling that catastrophe could strike at any moment. People may experience traumatic events like car crashes, death of a loved one, physical or sexual assault, military combat or natural occurrences such as earthquakes.
For some, trauma can lead to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other forms of mental illness. Symptoms can include distress, anxiety, depression and poor sleep. Psychological interventions such as talk therapy, cognitive reappraisal and exposure therapy can help alleviate symptoms.
Research has identified both proximal and distal factors in contributing to the rise of youth mental health issues. Proximal factors reflect the young person’s environment and can include developmental changes, family relationships, social media and childhood trauma. Distal factors are broader in nature and can include economic instability, poverty, climate change and politics.