Question: would you say that mental health levels in teenagers has risen in the past few years, and why is this, how do we stop it

Lorna Camus answered on 5 Nov 2018:

Hi! Really good question!

I think this issue has multiple facets to it, so bear with me!
Firstly, the stigma associated to mental health issues is slowly decreasing (although it is still too present), and therefore teenagers may feel more comfortable opening up about their mental health and get treatment if needed.
Secondly, the way we measure or diagnose mental health issues has changed in the last decades, with definitions changing to include or exclude different criteria. This can certainly have an effect on how many people are diagnosed with a certain condition.
So, in that sense, what we perceive as an increase in mental health difficulties may just be an increase in reporting (same number of people are suffering from mental health issues, but more people are seeking help for it).

However, there are also a number of factors in our current society and communities which certainly affect teenagers’ mental health. Increased pressure from parents to do well and go to university, pressure from schools (with more exams and assessments) and sometimes from peers or society more generally (pressure to conform for example) can all add up and negatively affect teenagers’ mental health.
Some links have also been found between social media use and mental health difficulties, although this area needs much more research – we don’t know if social media use itself causes mental health issues for example. And with the rise of the internet, bullying can following teenagers home in the form of cyber-bullying, adding to stress and low mood.
However let’s not forget that social media and the internet in general are also valuable sources of support for teenagers (and adults!) who are marginalised by society’s current norms (LGBTQIA teens, people struggling with various mental health difficulties, the autistic community, etc.), and focusing only on social media use rather than underlying difficulties is not serving anyone’s best interests.

In sum, I do think teenagers’ mental health difficulties have somewhat risen (although we still need to research this more to have clearer answers) due to societal and cultural changes, and the increased pressures it brings (especially academically).

How do we stop it is a great question and one I think many of us are trying to answer.
I think it will take a cultural/societal shift to see a reversal in mental health trends (both for children and adults).
Reducing bullying and marginalisation of those teens who do not conform would do a wealth of good to them (and their peers) in more than just mental health terms.
Increasing mental health education in schools to increase awareness of mental health and ill health, and reduce the fear and stigma which is sometimes attached to it, could also prevent teenagers struggling in silence.
I also think the education system needs to fundamentally change to reduce the over-emphasis on grades and exams, although this is not my area of expertise.
Finally, I very firmly believe that without increased funding for mental health services (and better management of said funding), we won’t be able to tackle the existing problem, yet alone stop it. This funding would allow health services to provide prevention and early intervention, which often offer better chances for people experience mental health difficulties.

If you’ve read all of this, good job! I didn’t mean for this answer to be this long but hopefully that makes sense! If not just let me know 🙂