The United States surgeon general warned on Tuesday that young people are facing devastating mental health effects as a result of the challenges experienced by their generation.
The message came as part of a rare public advisory from the nation's top physician.
There has been a significant increase in the number of emergency room visits for mental health issues. In the United States, emergency room visits for suicide attempts rose for adolescent girls in the early months of 2021. The figure increased for boys.
The report noted that the symptoms of anxiety and depression doubled. In the United States, emergency room visits related to depression, anxiety and similar conditions increased by 28 percent between 2011 and 2015.
The reasons are complex. A fast-paced media culture can leave some young minds feeling helpless, as well as brain chemistry and relationships with friends and family.
The media and popular culture tell young people that they are not good-looking enough, smart enough or rich enough, according to the report. Climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, the opioid epidemic and gun violence feel too slow to make progress.
The surgeon general has called for more attention to be given to adolescent mental health. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children's Hospital Association joined the American Academy of Pediatrics in declaring a national emergency in youth mental health.
Many researchers say that screen time alone does not account for the crisis when it comes to adolescent distress. Social media and other online activities act to amplify an adolescent's mental state, causing some young people to feel more distress and others to experience enhanced feelings of connection.
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The Surgeon General issued an advisory about adolescent mental health.
Bonnie Nagel, a child psychologist at Oregon Health & Science University, said that online interactions don't meet core needs for connection. She and her colleagues found that the feeling of loneliness is a key predictor of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Dr. Nagel thinks that talking to someone with a fake facade online is not a genuine human connection.
Research shows that screen time may be affecting physical and mental health. The current generation of adolescents are more lonely than any other age group.
There has been insufficient research into the underlying causes.
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Are you worried about your teen? There are a few things you can do to help your teen if they are depressed. Dr. Christine Moutier is the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Look for changes. If your teen is having issues at school, such as slipping grades, notice the changes in his or her sleeping and eating habits. They used to love doing things, but now they don't. Stay aware of their social media posts.
Communication lines should be open. Start a conversation if you notice something strange. Your child may not want to talk. If that's the case, offer him or her help in finding a trusted person to share their struggles with.
Seek professional help. A child who expresses suicidal thoughts may benefit from a mental health evaluation. You can start by talking to your child's doctor.
If you have immediate concern for your child's safety, do not leave him or her alone. You can call a suicide prevention hotline. Any potentially lethal objects should be locked up. Children who are trying to harm themselves should be taken to the nearest emergency room.
If you don't know how to help someone in your life, these resources can help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. The Crisis Text Line can be reached at 741741 3. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention works to prevent suicides.
The director of the National Institute of Mental Health said there is a lack of scientists in the area. Parents can't take care of their kids.
There is a shortage of specialists who can assess conditions such as attention deficit disorder, anxiety, depression and eating disorders in a variety of settings. In May, Children's Hospital Colorado declared its first ever state of emergency for mental health for children.
Researchers theorize that the Pandemic increased stress on young people because they were isolated during a period of their lives when social connection is vital for healthy development. The full story is not told by the Pandemic. A group of U.S. lawmakers issued a report in the year 2019: "Ring the Alarm." The report focused on a suicide crisis among Black adolescents, a group that historically has seen relatively low rates of suicide.
The increase in suicides and emergency room visits are stark. Scientists say that it is difficult to accurately measure the mental health threat faced by young people and adults because of the more open discussion of such issues. It is possible that an increase in self-reports of depression and anxiety is a sign of the crisis, or that earlier generations also felt distressed but lacked popular language to describe their emotions.
The question is whether or not it is new. It is hard to get those kinds of answers.
Dr. Murthy wants more resources to be devoted to understanding and addressing mental health challenges, and he wants a greater appreciation of mental health as a key factor in overall health.
The report concludes that this is a good time to demand change.
