Many teenagers have or had struggles with mental health throughout the years. Mental health is a big topic that has only recently been addressed.  Nowadays , people feel more comfortable talking and recognizing how mental health affects people. People are also more open to talk about their personal struggles with any mental illnesses they have, the most common ones being anxiety and depression.  It’s an extremely normal thing, yet over the years there’s been a change in mental health.  Looking back at past years, you can see the difference if you look hard enough. 

When it comes down to mental illnesses, it’s a very sensitive subject to people. Old asylums have been closed down, and people with severe illnesses are moved into communities with the proper care they need. The use of therapy has also become more common; many struggling with mental health problems are finally reaching out. Therapy has been causing many positive impacts on the patients that attend. It’s giving them someone who will listen and help them in the proper way they need. 

Even though therapy helps a lot, that doesn’t stop the fact that teenagers’ mental health has started to decrease. For the past years there has been a major increase in diagnosed ADHD, anxiety, and depression. The CDC recently wrote an article about those very mental health problems. 6.1 million kids and teenagers ranging from 2-17 years old have been diagnosed with ADHD. 4.4 million kids ranging from 3-17 have been diagnosed with anxiety, and 1.9 million have been diagnosed with depression. 

These numbers have been updated since March 2021, yet this is only including the ones that have been diagnosed. There are many teenagers who struggle with these yet can’t (or their legal guardian won’t allow them to) be tested or get help. Many teenagers now just struggle with mental health issues by themselves and don’t seek out help from others. Adding on the past year with the pandemic, stress levels have risen and impacts their mental health negatively though some have reported that the pandemic had calmed their anxiety and depression. 

Just looking back on past years, mental health wasn’t really discussed .  Now we see many  celebrities and others talking about it and spreading awareness concerning all of the mental health struggles. Mental health is only now being accepted and even normalised as well. It’s important to try and help spread awareness and even talk to someone if you’re also struggling. Everyone struggles from time to time, and you’re not alone in this fight.