The teenage mental health crisis is a large, yet rarely talked about, epidemic. A study conducted by the National Center for Children in Poverty found that 20% of adolescents are struggling with a diagnosable mental health disorder. Yet, the University of Michigan found that more than 50% of teens struggling with mental health receive no treatment. Despite being such a prominent issue in our society, the deteriorating mental health of teens is not considered to be very serious in our society at large. But, why should society as a whole be concerned with teenage depression?

Adolescence and teenage years are extremely crucial times for development. Unaddressed mental health issues in teens, thus, carry into adulthood. The implications of these mental health conditions include educational difficulty, social exclusion, and discrimination. Additionally, a study published by the National Institute of Health found that 1/4 of high school dropouts had been previously struggling with depression, and that teens with depression are twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers. Furthermore, the figure on the left highlights shocking statistics regarding teenage depression. 8.3% of teens suffer from depression, which may seem like a low number until we realize that this percentage is a little over 1.5 times greater than the percentage of the general population suffering from depression. These staggering statistics only paint part of the picture. The real-life experiences of teens struggling with depression and other mental health disorders are what are truly devastating. 

Mental health disorders do not show up on any x-ray or scan, making them much harder to notice than physical injuries. But what are some signs of teenage depression? 

The Mayo Clinic highlights various emotional symptoms of teenage depression including: feelings of sadness or anger with no apparent reason, feelings of hopelessness or emptiness, irritable mood, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide and death. They also outline behavioral changes that may be symptomatic of teenage depression such as: loss of energy, insomnia or too much sleep, changes in appetite, agitation or restlessness, social isolation, deteriorating grades, and self-harm. 

However, while it is easy to note down the symptoms of teenage depression, it is much harder to actually notice these changes. If you do notice these symptoms in either yourself or a teenager in your life, seek professional help. Whether you visit a school nurse or your primary care physician, speaking to any professional can be helpful. 

At times, it may be daunting to seek professional help and you or a teen you know may just need someone to talk to. Some helpful phone numbers are: 

911: If you are in a life-threatening situation, call 911 to get emergency assistance. 

1-800-273-TALK: This phone number is for the National Suicide Prevention Line, where you can speak to a trained crisis worker 24/7. Your call will be completely confidential as well. 

1-877-SAMHSA7: This phone number provides information about mental health resources near you. You can also speak to a live person, Mondays to Fridays, 8am EST to 8pm EST. 

At UCLA, the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is also a great resource to turn to if you want to easily access professional help. They have a 24/7 crisis support hotline at 310-825-0768 as well as same-day clinical consultations for all UCLA students.

While teenage mental health is currently an ongoing crisis, together we can take control of this issue by destigmatizing mental illness and taking steps towards being informed about mental health resources.