Mental health challenges for young people are an ever-mounting concern
The pressures facing today’s generation of adolescents and young adults are taking a toll on their mental health, increasing the risk of drug addiction and suicide. Even in the best of circumstances, adolescence and the transition from childhood to adulthood is a vulnerable phase of development.
For any young person, it can be difficult to adjust to the rapid physical and emotional changes during this time – even without a mental health disorder. Parents, teachers, and caregivers should therefore be alert to signs that could suggest adolescents or teenagers are struggling.
Many older people may remember the challenges faced at school and how shifts in understanding of individual identity impacted their emotional state. On top of this, the current generation of young people still bears the mental health scars of the COVID-19 lockdown.
In the past five years, data suggests that adolescent mental health has been deteriorating worldwide, with high rates of depression, anxiety and trauma-related outcomes, including substance abuse. The prolonged period of social isolation and social distancing during the pandemic could have disrupted aspects of the critical development that takes place during adolescence.
Temptation to experiment with drugs in the context of this mental health pandemic is more likely to be amplified, potentially leading to full-blown substance use disorders, as there is known to be a relationship between addiction and other types of mental health disorders. Many families prefer not to think about teenagers or adolescents taking their own lives and may not realize the full implications of changes in behavior that could indicate mental health concerns.
This is significant, as adolescent suicide is most frequently due to mental illness, and suicide has been documented as the second largest contributor to adolescent mortality.
Keep in touch
Young people experiencing anxiety, depression or other ‘unseen’ emotional or psychiatric issues may find it difficult to put what they are going through into words or might feel a sense of shame about speaking up about it to their parents, other adults or their peers.
There is still sometimes, unfortunately, a stigma attached to mental health, and this can result in young people feeling distressed and not seeking help. Families are urged to check in with the younger generation and ask them about how they are coping in a supportive, sensitive way.
In the fast pace of day-to-day life, it is all too easy to lose touch with young people, even if they are living under the same roof. Early detection is key to preventing suicide. Parents need to talk to their children and take notice of them – no matter how busy their schedules are.
Social withdrawal, changes in eating or sleeping patterns and acting out in ways that seem out of character can indicate potential causes for concern. These warning signs suggest the need to seek professional help. A young person talking about death or suicide is even more urgent and should never be ignored, dismissed or punished.
While there are not always noticeable signs of a young person’s suicidal intention, more awareness and less stigma are needed to help adolescents and teenagers find mental health support.
Text | Kavendren Odayar
Photography | TZIDO SUN
Dr Kavendren Odayar is a psychiatrist practicing at Netcare Akeso Gqeberha. For more information, go to akeso.co.za or call the 24-hour crisis line on 0861 435 787.
