Teenage Mental Health Crisis

The teenage mental health crisis has been on the minds of many for the past couple of years. The task of combating this issue can be very overwhelming, almost to the point of paralysis. A government survey that was conducted during the first six months of 2021 shows that almost every area of mental health is getting worse in every demographic group across the country (The Atlantic).

In order to combat this crisis we need to take a look at some of the reasons why this has occurred in the first place. Research has shown that there are four pillars that have contributed to this crisis: social media, sociality is down, the world is stressful, and modern parenting strategies. The first pillar is social media, while social media can have a positive impact on teenagers, research has shown that it has been strongly associated with worse mental for people who are in sensitive periods of life, especially girls between the ages of 11 and 13; this is the time that teenagers are acutely aware of the perceptions of their friends, teachers, etc. Overall, it has shown that social media can make it harder for teenagers to cope with the pressures of growing up (The Atlantic).

The lack of sociality has shown that the biggest problem may not necessarily be social media but the activities that social media replaces. Research has shown that teenagers today are less likely to go out with their friends, get their driver's license, or go out for youth sports. All the closures that the pandemic created may have exacerbated this issue. It has been a long known fact that what protects teens from depression is close social relationships, with social media and the pandemic these close social relationships have been lacking (The Atlantic).

We have all felt the stress of the world on our shoulders and it seems to have been getting heavier in the past couple of years. In the last decade teenagers have become increasingly distressed over gun violence, climate change, and the political environment. This increased stress is closely tied to increased feelings of sadness. Girls in particular are more apt to internalize distress which then leads to increased levels of depression and anxiety (The Atlantic).

It has been found that in the past 40 years American parents have nearly doubled the amount of time they spend coaching, chauffeuring, tutoring, and helping their teenage children. Children today are less likely to drive, do chores around the house, or get a summer job. These activities are important because it helps children learn to be uncomfortable and have a sense of personal competence. There has also been a broad increase in accommodative parenting. This type of parenting shelters students from their fears. Even though this is usually done out of love it can eventually lead to anxiety. A way to combat this is to implement exposure therapy. This type of therapy slowly exposes children to their fears. For instance, if a child is afraid of dogs, have them start by playing with puppies. This can help equip teenagers to better cope with a complex and stressful world (The Atlantic).

The world is overwhelming to begin with and it seems the media and news outlets highlight all the negative pieces of our community. This can lead to feelings of doom and gloom which may result in parents wanting and needing to wrap their children in bubble wrap and provide them with accommodations to protect them from these negative stories. However, it is imperative that we instill coping mechanisms in our children so that they feel like they can navigate the world successfully. Some things we can do to help children navigate this world is encourage them to spend time with friends, driving, dating, and working summer jobs; these all increase the opportunity to build close social relationships which can combat depression and anxiety.

If you need help navigating this world, reach out to me at info@atozeducationalconsulting.com or 612-735-1261.