Mental Health Issues On the Rise Among Adolescents, Young Adults

 

Mental health problems are on the rise among adolescents and young adults, and social media may be a driver behind the increase. According to a new study, published by the American Psychological Association, rates of mood disorders and suicide-related outcomes have increased significantly over the last decade among these age groups, impacting females and those who are wealthier, in particular.

With increases in mental health problems concentrated among adolescents and young adults, “the results suggest that cultural trends in the last 10 years may have had a larger effect on mood disorders and suicide-related outcomes among younger people compared with older people,” according to the researchers.

Drawing on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the researchers of the study assessed data of 212,913 adolescents aged 12 to 17 from 2005 through 2017 and 398,967 adults aged 18 and older from 2008 through 2017.

Between 2008 and 2017, the number of adults that experienced serious psychological distress in the last month increased among most age groups, with the largest increases seen among younger adults aged 18-25 (71%). Notably, rates of serious psychological distress increased by 78% among adults aged 20-21 during the time period. Meanwhile, there was a decline among adults aged 65 and older.

These findings were consistent across other measures, with the rate of adolescents and young adults experiencing depressive symptoms in the last year increasing by 52% and 63%, respectively, while rates remained stable for adults aged 26 and older.

At the same time, suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts in the last year all increased more among younger adults than among older adults. However, the researchers noted that the low base rate suggests the finding should be interpreted with caution.