High school can be stressful and sometimes hard to manage for a teen. The time of adolescence is a very pivotal time for young adults to develop proper emotional and social skills and habits that are conducive to a healthy lifestyle socially, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Between hard deadlines and creating a social life with ever-changing norms can take a toll on your mental health. Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
Developing healthy lifestyle skills such as sticking to a healthy sleep pattern, regular exercise, and finding healthy, safe, nondestructive coping skills are all ways to practice a healthy mental and physical lifestyle. Also further developing problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions are good signs of healthy mental competency.
Even with Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school, and in the wider community.
Poor mental health among teens in the United States was a concern before the COVID-19 pandemic now it’s worse. Members of Gen Z now ages 11 to 26, crossed into adulthood at a precarious time: A global pandemic that was both isolating and deadly interrupted their formative high school and college years. Multiple wars erupted overseas, and the U.S. economy further bifurcated into the haves.
The perisher of teens
Inflation and rising rent and mortgages have made the cost of living skyrocket. The cost of higher education also has created a larger stressor for youth to not only succeed finally and professionally but to excel past even their parents.
Globally the American school system has been made out to be a joke, sadly this is also reflected with statistics. According to a study done by Statista Research, roughly 37.5% of American students had graduated college in 2020.
However, these concerning numbers can’t just be attributed to the fault of the students or just the school system. The less-than-impressive stats can be also credited to the arduous workloads, pressure to excel, unsound schooling environments, and other factors.
The school system in America has also proven itself to have a harsher grading scale leading to street, overworking, and dejection. For example, the average lowest passing grade in Canada is a 55%, while in the U.S. it is typically a 70%.
Since teens are at the crease of adulthood, they need to see these problems for what they really are and The feeling of losing control over their own lives can lead to existential distress. This can lead to risky behavior and mental health issues like depression.
The world’s on fire
“An existential crisis is a moment at which an individual questions the very foundations of their life: whether this life has any meaning, purpose, or value.” This can occur suddenly or slowly build over time until the person reaches such despair they begin to experience suicidal ideation. An existential crisis happens when someone’s life feels untethered to any grounding source. During a crisis, one’s faith, scruples, and moral compass can come to feel pointless and arbitrary. These feelings can lead to a person isolating themselves, and or dealing with heightened depression and anxiety.
And although An existential crisis in teens is a normal part of life. when it becomes prolonged and involves heavy existential thoughts, depression could be at the root. When existential depression goes untreated, it can lead to higher rates of substance abuse. To numb out unknowns, lack of control, and a lack of understanding about purpose in life.
It is constantly stated that education is key to a successful life. However, when an article from Study Finds reported that the average American adult will forget around 40% of what they learn in school and use only about 37% of what they were taught, society doesn’t really reflect that saying. If teen students can recognize that their efforts in school are soon to be meaningless, why would they even want to try at all?
The research says
A study researching the connections between poverty and suicide rate observed 21,000 individuals between the ages of 5 to 19. The results showed that those living in areas with a higher poverty rate were 37% more likely to die by suicide. These results proved that financial instability is a large factor in the suicide rates of youth.
CDC study based on responses from more than 4,000 high school students to the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey. It does not capture all factors affecting adolescent mental health or suicidal behaviors. It also does not assess lifetime exposure to the specific adverse childhood events included.
But another CDC study published this year found that there were significant increases in high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, considering suicide or attempting suicide over the past decade – and they got even worse during the pandemic.
Teen’s mental health is neglected and put on the back burner. If they do not show it people will assume that everything is fine. The Burnouts or stickers might be the various on that need help.
By Jada Dunekntell
Sources:
CNN: Poor mental health in US teens exacerbated by negative experiences during Covid-19 pandemic, survey finds
Potomac:
UCHealth: Suicide rates among young people continue to rise, but there are ways to help
who: Mental health of adolescents
ACOG: Mental Health Disorders in Adolescents
CNBC: Youth suicide rates rose 62% from 2007 to 2021: ‘People feel hopeless,’ one recent grad says
mhstrailblazer: Is America Too Harsh On Students?
destinationsforteens: What Is an Existential Crisis?
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of arthurmlee1‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image #1 Courtesy of Jonathan Rolande‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
