mental health in teens

TW: This post includes content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Mentions of mental illness and suicide.

Mental health and mental illnesses are a tense and tricky topic for lots of people. However, considering the alarming suicide rates, it must be spoken about. Many times mental illness tends to get ignored in teenagers despite the fact that 75% of mental health problems develop before the age of 25, an alarming statistic.

"Youth mental health is a serious national challenge that must be tackled as a priority."

- James Toomey (Mission Australia Chief Executive)

All over the world, depression is one of the deadliest illnesses amongst adolescence. Considering that the teenage and young adult years are crucial in human development, these statistics and truths are frightening to say the least.

Parents, schools and other guardian figures should be expected to discuss mental health with their kids, assuring them that there are always options when struggling and that nothing is too big to say. We need to normalise the discussion of mental health, all of the gritty details and uncomfortable topics are things people need to be educated on, or suicide will remain the the third leading cause of death in 15-19-year-olds.

Even as teenagers, we have a duty to check up on our friends, even just a simple hug can literally save someone's life. If you feel like you can't do anything, never hesitate to talk to a trusted adult. More often than not, it's the person you'd least expect, and this needs to stop.

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

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Thank you for reading my new post, i hope you're having a good day or night! This is a heavy topic, so if you feel effected by the related ideas, please check out my resources page where i have listed mental health support pages.

Lots of Love, Carys :)