Are Teens Mental Health in a State of Crisis?

Have you noticed how mental health is being talked about more in recent generations? That’s because of how stigmatized mental health used to be in older generations. Depression used to be defined as being lazy and anxiety was just nervousness. As times have changed, so is our perception on mental health. Psychologists have discovered that mental health can be detrimental to a person's physical health. For example, depression can cause headaches, fatigue and digestive problems while anxiety can cause insomnia and difficulty concentrating. Mental health also plays a huge role in suicide rates. Mental health is nothing new but it is clear, it is more prominent in teenagers these days. Poor mental health in teenagers is a problem that needs to be taken seriously. 

Adolescence is a time for people to grow a foundation for a healthy life and time for their personalities to blossom. Unfortunately, “The number of adolescents reporting poor mental health is increasing.” This can be evident by the fact that “[in] 2019, approximately 1 in 6 youth reported making a suicide plan in the past year, a 44% increase since 2009.” With an increase of almost 50%, it should be clear that mental health should be a top priority. But what is causing the dramatic decrease in mental health among young folks?

A major role that initiated the dramatic increase of poor mental health in teens is the Covid pandemic. “More than [33% of] high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic and nearly half of students felt persistently sad or hopeless.” That is compared to the 26.1% of high school students in 2009. High school students being forced to spend everyday indoors away from friends and family has worsened mental health in teenagers. School is already stressful but the pandemic made it harder to learn. Once the pandemic ended, everyone was behind a year. Schools had become so relaxed that everyone had to repeat a grade, figuratively speaking. Changes like these cause more anxiety and depression, which in turn worsens mental health. What can we do about this? 

Of course, being a teen is rough and learning how to deal with problems is tougher. To increase an individual's mental health, it is important to exercise, eat healthy and take time for yourself. Schools should link mental health services, while creating a safe and supportive environment to work in. Parents need to communicate with their children. Communication is key to see what the next step should be. Does your family need to spend more time together or does your kid need to see a therapist? Parents need to listen to their child's needs and respond accordingly. If the world would implement this into our lives, the increase in poor mental health should cease.