Young people are at a critical period of development and are affected by multiple factors. These include a pandemic that has disrupted schooling and social networks, financial insecurity and rising living costs, the impact of childhood trauma, and climate change concerns.
Youth who are of color, disabled, LGBTQ+, in foster care or juvenile justice systems, or low-income face a greater burden. These proximal factors often lead to distal factors like substance abuse and self-harm.
Depression
Depression can make it hard for someone to get the help they need. They may feel ashamed or think that they don’t deserve treatment. Helping them understand that they are not alone and that people their age get treated for depression all the time can make it easier for them to seek professional help.
A mental health treatment plan will help them learn ways to cope with their symptoms, such as through psychological therapy or self-care (like exercise and sleeping well). They may also need medicine. Talk to your doctor about the benefits of different antidepressants and how they work.
You can also point them to support services like ReachOut, youthbeyondblue, Kids Helpline and headspace. Many of these are free and available online or via text or phone.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal feeling we all experience, but some people find that it can be overwhelming. Often it’s about things going on in their life like school work or relationships, but sometimes it can be about something else. Young people can feel anxious about a lot of different things.
Anxious children tend to worry about things like monsters and the dark, while teenagers often focus on perfectionism or their bodies. They may have concerns about their bodies, or they might be worried that they are not doing well at school.
Anxiety can lead to unhealthy coping strategies. For example, some people might try to use recreational drugs to manage their anxiety. This isn’t a good way to cope, as it can cause long-term problems.
Suicide
Suicide is a major global public health problem with devastating consequences for youth and their families. It is a complex phenomenon with many risk factors at the individual, family and community/environmental levels. Certain mental health disorders and a history of suicide ideation and/or attempts increase the risk of future suicidal behaviors. Non-suicidal self-injury is also a significant risk factor.
A large number of youths who commit suicide have not documented a previous mental health (MH) diagnosis. This is particularly true for racially/ethnically diverse youths and those who use firearms, which have the highest case fatality rate. Consequently, preventing youth suicide requires both addressing unmet MH needs and implementing preventive strategies such as restricting physical access to lethal means. This should go hand-in-hand with a variety of foundational pillars, such as risk assessment, screening, education, treatment and follow-up.
Addiction
Addiction is a serious issue that can impact youth health mental, physical and social well-being. Addiction can lead to a lack of enjoyment in activities that they previously enjoyed and is often self-medication for anxiety, depression, or other disorders.
Adolescents’ brains are still developing, making them especially vulnerable to drug abuse. The parts of the brain that allow them to assess situations, make sound decisions and keep emotions and desires in check, are not yet fully developed.
Many of the programs that prevent youth drug abuse have very little drug-focused content, and instead focus on fostering emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, and self-awareness. This empowers adolescents to make healthy choices and gives them tools to say “no” to drugs, while encouraging them to embrace their passions and dreams.
Self-harm
Self-harm is behavior that causes harm to the body, such as cutting or burning. The most common form is cutting, but people also hurt themselves by pinching, scratching or biting. It’s important to know that teen self-injury is different from suicidal behavior. It is often a way to reduce overwhelming or intolerable emotions.
It’s also worth remembering that self-injury can be a way to communicate. Even if they don’t leave behind bloody tissues, teens who self-harm may communicate with other behaviors such as avoiding contact or acting distantly.
Teens who self-harm should be encouraged to seek help. Most teens who receive treatment go on to live happy and healthy lives.