Depression, self-harm and suicide are rising among American adolescents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of an accelerating mental health crisis among adolescents:
- More than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, a 40 percent increase since 2009.
- In 2019, approximately 1 in 6 youth reported making a suicide plan in the past year, a 44% increase since 2009.
In many areas, teens are thriving and improving: teens are more educated, less likely to get pregnant, less likely to use drugs or alcohol and less likely to die of accident or injury. So why the increase in anxiety, depression and suicide?
New research suggests that an increase in smart phone screen time contributes to the propensity for depression.
Federal research shows that teenagers as a group are getting less sleep and exercise and spending less in-person time with friends at a period in life when it is typical to test boundaries and explore one’s identity. The combined result for some adolescents is a kind of cognitive implosion: anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, self-harm and even suicide.
What Can We Do?
- Help teens have a healthy eating plan, daily exercise, and sleep.
- Build a sense of connectedness by having strong bonds and relationships with adults and friends at school, at home and in the community. A feeling of connectedness is important and can protect adolescents from poor mental health and other risks like drug use and violence.
- Get supportive counseling with Behavioral Health Services.
Is My Teen Normal? Learn more at the Arizona Teen Lifeline
Canyonlands Healthcare Behavioral Health Services
The first step to treatment is to talk with a healthcare provider such as your child’s primary care provider, or a mental health specialist about getting an evaluation. A mental health professional can develop a therapy plan that works best for the child and family. Behavior therapy includes child therapy, family therapy, or a combination of both.
Canyonlands Healthcare offers both in-patient and telehealth visits with compassionate mental health professionals. Learn more about our Behavioral Health Services.
Our Behavior Health professionals help with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues and substance use disorders. Talking with our trained, licensed professionals can make a difference in your levels of stress, anxiety, substance use and depression.
