- In 50% of those who suffer from mental illness, the symptoms began in early adolescence (World Health Organization, 2018)
- 20% of children and young adults are struggling with mental illness (NAMI, 2018)
- Ages 8-14: 13%
- Ages 15-18: 20%
- 90% of those who died by suicide had underlying mental illness symptoms (NAMI, 2018)
- Adolescents ages 12-17 (Lu, 2019):
- 18.1% of adolescents reported having a lifetime prevalence of major depressive episode (MDE)
- 12.9% reported having an MDE for 12 months
- 9.2% had an MDE with severe impairment
- 71.8% of adolescents who had a 12-month MDE also reported an MDE with severe cognitive impairments
- Females score 5 points higher than males on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
- Non-Hispanic white children scored 1.84 points higher than Hispanic children
- Non-Hispanic white children scored 2.46 points higher than Non-Hispanic African American children (Thomas, Temple, Perez, & Rupp, 2011)
LGBTQ Youth
- Higher rates of major depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD symptoms (CDC, 2016)
- 18% meet criteria for depression (Russell & Fish, 2016)
- 11.3% meet criteria for PTSD (Russell & Fish, 2016)
- 31% report suicidal behavior (Russell & Fish, 2016)
- LGBTQ youth are 2 times more likely to attempt suicide when living in areas lacking anti-bullying laws (Human Rights Campaign, 2019)
- 77% have reported feeling depression in the past week (Human Rights Campaign, 2019)
- LGBTQ youth are approximately 4 times more likely to die from suicide (NAMI, 2019)
- A positive home environment and school environment promote mental wellness (Koenig, Espelage, Argon, & Birkett, 2008)
Parents - What to look for (Healthychildren.org, 2019):
- Excessive sleeping, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, insomnia
- Poor self-esteem
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Sudden decline in academic performance
- Weight loss or loss of appetite
- Personality shifts and changes like aggression