Poor mental health can affect many areas of a teen’s life. Fortunately, psychologists are developing and disseminating solutions to this crisis.
According to CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, about 40% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. This is a major cause of distress, suicide attempts and delinquency.
Mental Health Conditions
Several factors can impact youth mental health. These include the stress of living in a fragile environment, family and community instability and social stigma to seek treatment. A history of trauma, abuse or involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems can also have long-term impacts, including a greater risk for mental illness later in life.
The latest data from the 2021 and 2022 YRBSS shows that 42% of adolescents report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, which can be indicators of depression. While these figures may reflect those who meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis, other youth mental health statistics indicate that many more are struggling. Warning signs of depression or suicide among teens can include withdrawing from friends, acting recklessly, changes in eating or sleeping patterns and having suicidal thoughts.
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Experiencing trauma or adverse childhood experiences can have long-term impacts on your health. These experiences disrupt normal child development and lead to a variety of risky behaviors, including poor health, disease, addiction, and even death.
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente surveyed more than 17,000 adults on their experiences in childhood. These experiences included physical and emotional abuse; seeing a mother treated violently; household substance use or incarceration; family members with mental illness; and economic hardship.
The result was that ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) are a major risk factor for many of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States, such as heart disease, depression, suicide, addiction, and chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer. Having positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can mitigate the impact of ACEs.
Family Issues
Suicide continues to be a serious issue among young people. CDC data show that, even before the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, 40% of high school students reported feeling persistent sadness or hopelessness and had seriously considered suicide or attempted it.
Parents are also affected by their teens’ mental health struggles. They may feel overwhelmed by their teen’s needs and pressured to “fix” them, which can lead to stress at home. Siblings are at risk of developing their own issues because of this stress, as well.
Psychologists are working hard to tackle these challenges head-on. They are finding solutions for families, schools, and at the policy level. They’re identifying barriers and bringing new tools and services to youth. They’re building resilience and support for young people, so they can grow into healthy adults.
Addictions
During their adolescence, teens can become addicted to many different things. Some of these things are “substance” addictions such as alcohol & drugs but others can be behavioral, known as “process” addictions such as gambling, video games and sex. These types of addictions can cause a variety of problems for young people including academic difficulties, physical health issues, involvement with the juvenile justice system, and family and peer relationships.
Addictions are often a result of underlying mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD or PTSD. Teens may use substances as a way to cope with painful feelings or to fit in with their peers. These behaviors can lead to long-term struggles such as substance abuse or suicide. Getting help early on is essential for sustainable healing.
Social Issues
Today’s youth have to deal with many complex issues that increase stress levels and compromise wellbeing. These include social media use and other digital technology; relationships with peers; school life; work/life balance; and family and relationship concerns. Some teens also experience sexual curiosity and exploration and may engage in risky behaviors.
Addressing these challenges requires sustained investments in equitable prevention, promotion and care services. It also requires ensuring that programs prioritize non-pharmacological approaches and reach the most vulnerable children and teens.
Research on the links between social issues and mental health needs should be improved to enable more timely identification of trends, including those related to racism and other forms of discrimination. To this end, it’s important that program staff are able to recognize personal biases and other barriers in their work with communities they serve.