Adolescence is a time when problems ranging from anxiety and depression to mental illness tend to emerge.
Supporting youth mental health means addressing the underlying drivers of mental health challenges including access to healthy foods, housing, education, and jobs. It also means expanding training for caregivers and educators. And it means integrating youth mental health into primary care.
Depression
Depression is a common mental health condition that can be hard to recognise. It can affect a person’s energy, making them feel tired all the time and make it difficult to pay attention. Depression also makes people think about negative things and become irritable. They may lose interest in activities they used to enjoy. They may start to withdraw from friends and family, and can have problems at school.
Sometimes depression is a side-effect of medications or alcohol or drugs use. Changing medications or taking different ones can help. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is also an option and can help someone change unhealthy emotions and thoughts. Some people find that antidepressants work well for them.
It is important for a young person to get treatment if they are depressed. They should discuss how they are feeling with someone they trust such as a parent, teacher, school counsellor, family member or friend. Then they can visit a health professional who can do an assessment and recommend the right treatment.
Anxiety
Kids who experience anxiety as teens often have a long history of struggling with it. Other kids who never had anxiety as children develop adolescent-onset anxiety disorders like social anxiety and panic attacks.
Getting regular mental health treatment for anxiety is important for youth because it can be very disruptive to their lives. It can also affect their work and school performance, as well as lead to physical problems such as headaches and digestive issues.
Anxiety is very common, and most people feel it at some point in their lives. But when it becomes a constant feeling, it’s a sign that you should see a health care provider for an evaluation.
Many things can cause anxiety, including financial stress and worries about family or friends. Some people worry excessively about things they can’t control, and this can be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A study found that participating in extracurricular activities like organized sports can decrease GAD symptoms.
Self-harm
Self-injury, or non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), is a complex issue that can occur in young people. It involves behaviours such as cutting, burning, hitting or injuring oneself with a weapon. Some teens use these behaviours to punish themselves, cope with intense emotions or as a way of communicating with others. Other people may find that causing physical pain stimulates the release of endorphins or pain-killing chemicals, so they feel something real instead of emotional numbness.
Talking to a mental health professional is important if you or your child self-harms. This might involve psychotherapy, which can teach new problem-solving skills and help you understand your feelings better. You can also seek help from a support group. This is available through charities, NHS trusts or organisations like Mind. They can provide telephone, email and face-to-face support. They also have information and advice on their website. Alternatively, you can call the helpline at Beyond Blue to speak to a counsellor.
Suicide
The teen years are a time of major changes. This can lead to stress, confusion and feelings of anger or sadness. For some teens, suicide seems like a way to end their troubles. They may be overwhelmed by the death of someone close to them, financial uncertainty, pressure to succeed or the stress of family problems.
Some adults think that kids who talk about hurting themselves or making suicide attempts are just seeking attention. It’s important to take warning signs seriously and encourage them to get help. It’s also a good idea to find a mental health professional who has experience working with teenagers.
The rates of poor mental health and suicidal thinking are higher for female students, black and Hispanic students than white students. These differences in the prevalence of these symptoms and behaviors call for further research to explore possible causes. This includes addressing social factors such as a national atmosphere of trauma and discrimination that may contribute to these disparities.