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A growing problem is that more and more youngsters manifesting emotional upset, misbehavior, and learning problems are routinely assigned psychiatric labels denoting severe internal disorders (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, learning disabilities). This trend flies in the face of the reality that the problems of most youngsters are not rooted in internal pathology, and many troubling symptoms would not develop if environmental circumstances were appropriately different. Moreover, the trend to diagnosing so many learning, behavior, and emotional problems as disorders leads to large numbers of misdiagnoses and inappropriate and expensive treatments. All of this contaminates research, policy, practice, and training. Reducing misdiagnoses and misprescriptions requires placing mental illness in perspective with respect to psychosocial problems and broadly defining mental health to encompass the promotion of social and emotional development and learning.

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The figures usually indicated for diagnosable mental disorders suggest that between 12% and 22% of all youngsters under age 18 are in need of services for mental, emotional, or behavioral problems. The picture worsens when one expands the focus beyond the limited perspective on diagnosable mental disorders to encompass the number of young people experiencing psychosocial problems and those who are at risk of not maturing into responsible adults. The reality for many large urban schools is that well over 50% of their students manifest significant learning, behavior, and emotional problems. For a large proportion of these youngsters, the problems are rooted in the restricted opportunities and difficult living conditions associated with poverty. Almost every current policy discussion stresses the crisis nature of the problem in terms of future health and economic implications for individuals and for society and calls for major systemic reforms.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1525289/

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The type and frequency of mental health disorders is different across ages and genders and, overall, rates of mental disorders rose with age.

Boys were more likely to have a disorder among younger age groups, and girls were more likely to have a disorder among older age groups.  For the 17-19 age group, nearly 1 in 4 young women had a disorder, with emotional disorders (particularly anxiety) the most commonly reported.

It is concerning that, of young women in this age group with a disorder, over half (52.7%) reported that they had self-harmed or attempted suicide.

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The last survey, conducted in 2004, found that 1 in 10 children aged 5-15 had a mental health disorder (either emotional, behavioral, hyperactive, or other). In the newly released 2017 figures, this has risen to 1 in 9.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/what-new-statistics-show-about-childrens-mental-health

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1. Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in favored activities

2. Exhaustion, constant fatigue, and a generalized lack of energy

3. Sense of despair, sadness, and hopelessness (sometimes escalating into suicidal thoughts)

4. Lack of motivation (resulting in feelings of either guilt and/or failure)

5. Unexplained aches and pains, headaches, stomach problems

6. Hard time concentrating (particularly for teens who used to be focused)

7. Feeling worthless, irritable, frustrated, or having an extreme case of low self-esteem

8. Disturbed sleep patterns (taking naps during the day, insomnia at night)

9. Changes in appetite and weight (including not eating on a regular basis or binge eating)

10. Abusing alcohol or drugs to cope with the pain as a form of self-medication

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Major depression: a severe depression that can incapacitate those who are suffering, making it difficult or impossible to do normal daily activities, such as working, studying, sleeping, and eating

Persistent depressive disorder: a chronic, low-grade depression that can get better or worse over time

Melancholic depression: a particularly severe form of major depressive disorder characterized by persistent feelings of extreme sadness and hopelessness

Psychotic depression: severe depression, accompanied by delusions or hallucinations

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): a cyclical depression that comes and goes with the seasons

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome that can manifest as intense and debilitating mood shifts

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School pressure: Many teens experience some degree of academic pressure. However, an uncertain economy and tough competition for college and graduate school make that pressure worse.

Relationships: Teens typically experience their first romantic relationships in high school or college. While this is an essential part of teen development, it can also be emotionally challenging. This is particularly true if teens don’t have guidance and support in navigating this new terrain.

Lack of coping skills: Today’s teens are more protected than in the past. Parents try to shield them from experiencing failure and disappointment. Therefore, teens often have fewer chances to build resilience. Thus, they don’t learn how to cope with challenges.

A brain that’s still growing: The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls self-regulation, is not fully developed in teens. Thus, they have a limited ability to exert control over their impulses. Consequently, this leads to teenage risk behaviors, such as substance abuse and unsafe sexual choices, which can negatively impact teen mental health.

Nature deficit disorder: Today’s adolescents spend so much time doing homework and on screens that they don’t get outside nearly enough. Nature deficit disorder is a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods. It refers to the fact that human beings, especially children, are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of behavioral and mental health problems, including depression.

Bullying: Bullying is directly correlated with adolescent depression in school. Below is more information about bullying and depression.

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Furthermore, American teens consume an average of nine hours of media a day. In fact, 50 percent of teens feel they are addicted to their smartphones.

Ultimately, the focus on screens and social media causes damage to relationships, education, and extracurricular activities. Thus, it can contribute to teen depression, as well as ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and anxiety.

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/adolescent-depression-in-schools/

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Unfortunately, social stigma around mental illness still exists among people of all ages. As a result, high school and college students often hesitate to seek help for depression.

In 2016, approximately 60 percent of teens who suffered a major depressive episode did not receive treatment of any kind.

An estimated 3.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2016. This number represents 12.8 percent of the US population in that age group.

More females than males experienced a major depressive episode in 2016 (19.4 percent of females vs. 6.4 percent of males).

That year, an estimated 2.2 million American adolescents aged 12 to 17 had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment.

Only 19 percent of these teens received care from a health professional.

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9.4% of children aged 2-17 years (approximately 6.1 million) have received an ADHD diagnosis.

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9.4% of children aged 2-17 years (approximately 6.1 million) have received an ADHD diagnosis.

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7.4% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.5 million) have a diagnosed behavior problem.

7.1% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.4 million) have diagnosed anxiety.

3.2% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 1.9 million) have diagnosed depression.

https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

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"Addressing mental health needs in school is critically important because 1 in 5 children and youth have a diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder and 1 in 10 young people have a mental health challenge that is severe enough to impair how they function at home, school or in the community."

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"Addressing mental health needs in school is critically important because 1 in 5 children and youth have a diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder and 1 in 10 young people have a mental health challenge that is severe enough to impair how they function at home, school or in the community."

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http://www.acmh-mi.org/get-help/navigating/problems-at-school/

"even though mental illness affects so many of our kids aged 6-17 at least one-half and many estimate as many as 80% of them do not receive the mental health care they need."

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