The pandemic
has taken a harsh toll on the mental health of U.S. teens. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention shared data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior
Survey of more than 17,000 high school students showing that an alarming number
of teens have reported being affected by incidents of sexual violence, suicidal
thoughts, suicidal behavior, and other mental health woes. Especially concerning
is the alarming trend of teen girls who reported experiencing record levels of
sadness and sexual violence with nearly 3-in-5 teen girls (57%) saying that
they feel “persistently sad or hopeless.”
The risk of
suicide is the highest in at least a decade with 30% reporting that they have
seriously considered attempting suicide. This is double the rate among teen
boys and up almost 60% over the past 10 years. Almost half of LGBTQ students are
also facing mental health challenges that include considering a suicide attempt.
This is the first
data collected since the start of the pandemic, with isolation, online
schooling, and increased reliance on social media over the past few years only
making mental health matters worse for many kids.
Kids need to
know that it’s okay not to be okay. And that there is HOPE and HELP available…only
3 digits away. 9-8-8 is the new dialing code to route callers to the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now called the 988 Suicide & Crisis
Lifeline, across the U.S. The Lifeline provides 24-hour confidential support to
anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional stress. A simple call or text to 988
will connect callers to trained counselors who will listen, provide support,
and offer resources as needed. Support is also available via live chat.
For more information
and resources, visit National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at www.nami.org or National Institute of Mental
Health (NIH) at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
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