The mental health challenges of adolescents have worsened in recent years. There are many reasons for this.
Help kids and teens learn to recognize, manage, and learn from difficult emotions. Support their families to build strong relationships and practice healthy coping. And provide access to high-quality, affordable, and culturally competent mental health care.
Adolescence
Adolescence is a time of big changes—to the body and to how people relate to one another. It can be confusing and emotionally turbulent, especially when it comes to sex and relationships. These changes can lead to depression, drug or alcohol abuse, and eating disorders. They can also put young people at greater risk of poor mental health, including psychiatric illness and suicide.
Depression rates tend to rise around puberty, which is typically when hormone changes cause new emotions, new social relationships and increased pressures from academic, athletic or other activities. This can also be a time when some youth become aware of their sexual orientation or gender identity, which can lead to rejection or bullying.
For example, a 2021 study found that LGBQ+ students and those from minority ethnic or sexual identities were more likely to seriously consider suicide than their heterosexual peers. Poor mental health in adolescence can impact all areas of life, from family and friends to school and work.
Adolescent Depression
Adolescent depression is a common mental health problem that can have serious sequelae. It can lead to poor school and work performance, substance misuse, suicidal thoughts and other forms of self-harm, and it may indicate a high risk of developing long-term mental health problems.
Adolescence is a time of heightened vulnerability to depression, but many adolescents with depressive disorder do not get the treatment they need. This is partly because adolescent depression is often overlooked, as it is not always obvious and can be mistaken for other problems such as eating disorders, anxiety, refusal to attend school or decline in academic performance.
If you think your teen is depressed, take them to see their doctor for a physical exam and lab tests (if needed). It’s important to talk openly about how they are feeling without judgement. Showing interest and desire to understand their feelings lets them know you care. Also, try to encourage them to reconnect with friends and activities they enjoyed before the depression got worse.
Adolescent Suicide
Adolescence is a time of major physical and psychological changes. Sometimes these changes are very difficult. Poor mental health in adolescents can impact their ability to think clearly, affect their behavior and relationships and make risky decisions. It is important for HCPs to view warning signs as serious and not as attention-seeking, especially in girls, LGBQ+ youth, and students of all racial/ethnic groups who are at higher risk of suicide-related fatalities.
Warning signs to be alert to include a sudden change in mood, sleep patterns or eating habits, giving away personal items for no apparent reason and avoiding people and activities that were once enjoyable. A history of depression, a family member who has died by suicide, specific personality characteristics, genetic loading, traumatic experiences and availability of means to kill oneself are also risk factors. Suicide is often impulsive and can occur during acute psychosocial stressors. The method used can vary from hanging to jumping off a bridge or running into traffic.
Adolescent Anxiety
The onset of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder and panic disorder is common during adolescence. These disorders have a negative impact on school performance, relationships and family life. Teens with these conditions are unable to control their fears and may become depressed and suicidal. It is important for primary care providers to be aware of these conditions and their psychiatric treatment options.
Encourage your teenager to talk about his feelings without being judgmental. Help him understand that his anxieties about school, sports and peer acceptance are normal parts of adolescence. You can also teach him relaxation skills such as turning off cell phones, tuning into their “happy place,” or practicing breathing exercises to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety. Medications such as antidepressants and anxiety medications can also be helpful in controlling symptoms. A longitudinal community study (EDSP) found that in only 13% of baseline cases with specific phobias did the adolescents have no mental illness at 10-year follow-up (strict homotypic remission). However, most had some anxiety disorder and some depression.