A survey shows an increase in depression and suicidal thoughts in US teens.

A national survey of teenagers in the United States revealed an increase in fear and despair among them, with one in seven admitting to misusing prescription drugs. Since 2007, there has been an increase in the number of teens reporting feelings of despondency and despair. Suicidality and truancy have increased due to fear of bullying and violence. The trend has been notable in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in high schools.

Across the country, one in five students reported being bullied, one in 10 women, and one in 28 male students reported being subjected to forced sexual activity. Dr. Jonathan Mermin of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which conducted the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, said that a teenager’s life can be challenging. However, a large number of students who admit to a persistent feeling of hopelessness and 17 percent who contemplate suicide recount the sad situation.

In 2007, 28 percent of teens reported suicidal feelings, which increased to 31 percent in 2017. Similarly, 14 percent of teens made suicide plans in 2017 versus 11 percent in 2007. The A survey, conducted every two years, involved 15,000 school students in 39 states. Asks questions related to a wide range of activities and attitudes.

There were also some positive observations. Compared to a decade ago, fewer teens reported engaging in sexual activities, consuming alcohol, or using drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. Since the question regarding prescription opioids was asked for the first time, the researchers could not say whether one in seven showed an increase or a decrease.

The executive director of the National Coalition of ETS Directors and a social worker, David Harvey, said that regardless of the absence of a comparison, these figures suggest that opioids must be contributing to the least explored impact on the lives of adolescents. For example, opioid use could be contributing to the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in this age group.

Harvey noted that in 2007, at least 62 percent of teens reported using condoms the last time they had sex compared to 54 percent of teens in 2017. This decline, along with the use of prescription drugs , indicates an adolescent’s susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and syphilis. Up to 39 percent of students had sex in 2017 compared to 48 percent in 2007.

There was also a decrease in the percentage of students who faced dating sexual violence from 10 percent in 2013 to 7 percent in 2017. This, along with a decrease in alcohol and drug use, represented the wisest choices made by the students. Experts suggested that family support, especially parental care, can make a big difference in a teenager’s life. Plus, increased access to mental health and substance abuse resources can make a big difference, too. Schools can contribute by offering coping skills and bystander intervention training.

Among LGBT teens, there was a higher incidence of risky behaviors as their sense of physical and emotional well-being is threatened. Compared to 2015, a higher number of gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens reported being raped. They also reported missing school due to concerns about their own safety.

Dealing with the double whammy

Teens are impressionable. They are at a juncture where they can easily fall victim to drugs, which can have an impact on their mental health. On the contrary, they may turn to addictive substances to deal with their mental problems. The simultaneous appearance of these problems is called concurrent disorders or dual diagnosis, which requires immediate intervention.