According to recent data from a report by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the rate of mental health cases among American adolescents is skyrocketing. The data shows that nearly 20% of teens have had depressive experiences. This number might shift upwards if no one is paying attention.
What are the major triggers?
Behavioral health experts associate the problem with various factors such as social media usage, academic pressure, and high teenage isolation. Social media creates a space for comparisons and fake portrayals of one’s life virtually. Teens following these trends are likely to feel inadequate and depict low self-esteem. The desire to be like the peers is another trigger for mental health issues. Teens are looking on to having what their peers have leading to social stress.
How do mental health issues in teens manifest?
The current data is not a page with numbers. It is a wake-up call for parents to monitor their teens to assess whether they’re struggling with a mental health issue. The issues can manifest in various ways such as social withdrawal, falling academic grades, and sometimes even self-harm.
Effective approaches to dealing with teen mental health challenges
Parents, healthcare providers, and educators have a central role in dealing with teen mental health cases. The first step is creating a safe and supportive environment for teens. Such an environment can foster open communication and encourage teens to seek help.
The other crucial step to keep your teen from joining the statistics is through promotion of healthy online habits. All these approaches can be the safety net for saving teenagers from early age mental illness
First and foremost I am a father, people-person and Entrepreneur!
I’m also a behavioral assistant and part owner of a private mental health practice in Somerset, New Jersey.
