Adolescent mental health continues to get worse, according to the most recent national survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Furthermore, substance use is a risk factor for youth mental health problems while healthy lifestyle behaviors may protect and improve mental health among youth.
Worsening Mental Health of Youth
The latest national data (2021) indicates that youth mental health is worsening. For example, according to CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) data:
- More than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health.
- More than 1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered attempting suicide and 1 in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.
Substance Use is a Key Risk Factor
A key risk factor for poor mental health is substance use. For example, 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data shows that:
- High school adolescents currently drinking alcohol were 1.5 times more likely to feel sad or hopeless and 1.6 times more likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
- High school adolescents currently using marijuana were 1.5 times more likely to feel sad or hopeless and 2 times more likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
- High school adolescents currently vaping e-cigarettes were 1.6 times more likely to feel sad or hopeless and 1.9 times more likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
Healthy Behaviors May Protect and Improve Mental Health
The good news is that the Big 3 healthy behaviors of physical activity, nutrition and sleep are positively associated with mental health. For example, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data in 2019 shows that:
- High school adolescents who got one or more hours of physical activity every day were 1.3 times less likely to feel sad or hopeless and 1.5 times less likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
- High school adolescents who at breakfast every morning were 1.7 times less likely to feel sad or hopeless and 2 times less likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
- High school adolescents who got 8 or more hours sleep a night were 1.7 times less likely to feel sad or hopeless and 1.9 times less likely to seriously consider attempting suicide
Conclusion
Youth mental health has been worsening and substance use is a key risk factor for mental health problems.
The good news is that meeting healthy habit recommendations, particularly getting one hour of physical activity daily, eating breakfast every morning and getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night are linked to less mental health problems.
Attempts to improve mental health among US youth should be aimed at risk and protective factor behaviors, including preventing substance use and increasing the Big 3 healthy habits.
Learn more about the most recent 2021 YRBS data: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health/index.htm#:~:text=Adolescent%20Mental%20Health%20Continues%20to%20Worsen&text=In%202021%2C%20more%20than%204,10%20(10%25)%20attempted%20suicide.
YRBS Analysis Tool-High School, 2019: https://nccd.cdc.gov/YRBSSanalysis/