3 out of 5 female teenagers in the United States report persistent depression. This is twice as high as that of male adolescents. In addition, one in three female adolescents said they had seriously considered an extreme option.
Citing a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Reuters and the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 13th (local time) that the percentage of adolescents who feel sad and depressed is the highest in the past 10 years.
The CDC, which surveyed 17,000 American youth in the second half of 2021, summarized that “young people are saying they are in crisis.”
◇ ‘Red flag’ turned on for female adolescent mental health
57% of female adolescents felt depressed for at least two weeks. This is a significant increase of 63% compared to 10 years ago. The number of female adolescents who have experienced sexual violence has also increased by about 20% since 2017.
The CDC researchers are concerned that “the mental health of teenage girls is worse than ever, and the rates of considering extreme options are at an all-time high.”
Kathleen Edier, a researcher at the CDC, pointed out to the NYT, “According to the results of a survey on the experience of violence, female adolescents experience all types of violence more than males,” and pointed out that the cause should be identified, not just a simple increase in numbers. He added, “We also need to analyze the factors that lead teenage males to commit sexual violence.”
◇ LGB youth are also at risk
LGBT youth have been found to feel high levels of violence and depression. Among them, 1 in 5 responded that they had tried to make an extreme choice before the survey.
However, this survey only asked questions about students’ sexual orientation, excluding their gender identity. For this reason, there is a limitation that the mental health risk factors of transgender youth have not been identified.
◇ ‘Depression’ on the rise even before the pandemic… Any solution?
It should be noted that teenage mental health deterioration was already on the rise before the global pandemic.
For example, the number of adolescents admitted to a medical center on Long Island for extreme elective attempts jumped from 250 in 1982 to 3,000 in 2010 and 8,000 in 2022.
“Before the pandemic,[teenagers’]mental health was at risk, but it didn’t get as much attention as it does now,” said Dr. Cory Green.
Dr. Victor Fornari, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, argued that the tendency of deteriorating teenage mental health appeared simultaneously with the spread of smartphones. He said that while the impact of technology on adolescent mental health has not yet been fully demonstrated, he is convinced that there is “no question” that social media is associated with increased choices and feelings of depression.
The CDC reports that healthy relationships in schools can improve adolescent mental health.
According to the CDC, “Young people who feel connected to middle and high school have better mental health after 20 years and are less likely to be perpetrators and victims of violence,” and “are less likely to try drugs or make extreme choices.” reported that
※ If you need help from a specialist due to depression or other hard-to-talk concerns, you can receive counseling 24 hours a day at the suicide prevention hotline at 1577-0199, the suicide prevention hotline at 1393, the hope hotline at 129, the life hotline at 1588-9191, and the youth hotline at 1388.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.