• We have noted that the current young generation suffers from more stress and anxiety than previous generations.

• The current pandemic causes more stress, anxiety, and depression among the younger generation.

• What can we do to assist them?

Adolescent Mental Health is a topic that seems to hover in the background.

I looked at a recent fact sheet of the World Health Organization (WHO).

It made many challenges faced by youth clearer to me.

This made me realize that we need to help youth as much as possible.

The recent (28 September 2020) WHO publication was “Adolescent Mental Health.”

It contained the following key facts.

• One in six people are aged 10-19 years.

• Mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10-19 years.

• Half of all mental health conditions start by age 14 years but most cases are undetected and untreated.

• Globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death in those aged 15-19 years.

• The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health problems in youth can lead to the extension of those problems into adulthood, and whereby not only is affected but physical health can be also.

CAUSES:

The article lists many factors that can cause mental health challenges such as:

• exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence;

• desire for greater autonomy;

• pressure to conform from peers;

• sexual identity;

• access to and use of technology;

• media influence;

• quality of home life;

• relationships with peers;

• violence including harsh parenting and bullying;

• exposure to sexual violence;

• poor living conditions;

• discrimination and social exclusion;

• lack of access to support and services;

• educational difficulties;

• risk-taking behaviours, such as substance abuse and sexual risk-taking;

• physical ill-health;

• human rights violations;

• emotional disorders such as excessive irritability, frustation, and anger;

• depression and anxiety;

• childhood behavioural disorders;

• eating disorders;

• psychosis;

• self-harm and suicide;

• use of drugs and alcohol; and

• use of violence.

This list appears overwhelming.

Makes you wonder how youth survive.

SOLUTIONS:

What can we do to help?

Some solutions are:

• providing supportive family, school, and community environments;

• promoting supportive social environments and social networks;

• building resilience for difficult situations and adversities;

• becoming familiar with programs that can assist when challenged;

• improving interpersonal skills;

• developing coping and problem-solving skills;

• adapting healthy sleep patterns;

• encouraging regular exercise;

• helping them to learn to manage emotions; and

• helping them with enhanced alternatives to risk-taking behaviours.

The WHO fact sheet can be found at

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

PREVIOUS POSTS:

In the past, we have posted articles about the challenges faced by youth with anxiety and stress.

These posts list approaches that can assist youth to cope with the challenges they face.

The post, ‘ANXIETY: A Growing Challenge.’ was posted on June 10, 2018.

Some suggestions listed were to:

• encouragement to take risks;

• establishment of routines;

• making changes gradually;

• having a regular schedule; and

• improving their interpersonal skills.

You can find more details in the post found at

http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/blog/anxiety-a-growing-challenge/

The post, ‘STRESS: How to Cope,’ was posted on December 9, 2019.

Some approaches suggested to assist our youth to cope are:

• doing regular physical activity;

• improving sleep;

• finding their strengths;

• improving communication skills;

• ensuring their foods are nutritional; and

• empowering them.

You can find more details in the post found at 

http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/blog/stress-how-to-cope/