The pandemic took a harsh toll on U.S. teen girls’ mental health, with almost 60% reporting feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness, according to a recently released CDC survey that bolsters earlier data. Sexual violence, suicidal thoughts, suicidal behavior and other mental health woes affected many teens regardless of race or ethnicity, but girls and LGBTQ youth fared the worst on most measures, according to the report that surveyed more than 17,000 U.S. high school students in the fall of 2021.
In 30 years of collecting similar data, “we’ve never seen this kind of devastating, consistent findings,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of CDC’s adolescent and school health division. “There’s no question young people are telling us they are in crisis. The data really call on us to act.”
Comprehensive reform in how society manages mental health is needed. In schools, kids should be taught ways to manage stress and strife, just as they are taught about exercise for physical disease prevention.
Read Full Article from the LA Times
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