Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Mental Health Issues in Teenagers
In the United States, talking about mental health issues and mental illness remains taboo and can often lead to a negative stigma for the person needing help. Adolescents are much more prone to internalize what others think about them, which leads many teenagers to keep mental illness concerns to themselves. The month of May is dedicated to mental health awareness, making now an ideal time to discuss mental health concerns in teens. The isolation faced during the COVID pandemic exacerbated the mental health problem. According to a 2021 CDC study, 37% of adolescents felt regular or constant anxiety or depression during the pandemic. There are common factors that negatively impact a juvenile’s mental health, resources available, and signs to look for to help a teenager successfully navigate their mental health issues.