A national survey of adolescents in the United States revealed a rise 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 dejection and despair. Suicidality and school absenteeism 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.
Nationwide, one in five students reported facing bullying, with one in 10 female and one in 28 male students reporting 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 life as a teenager can be challenging. However, a large number of students who admit a persistent feeling of hopelessness and 17 percent who contemplate suicide tell of the sad state of affairs.
In 2007, 28% of teens reported having suicidal feelings, which increased to 31% in 2017. Similarly, 14% of teens made suicide plans in 2017 versus 11% in 2007. The survey, conducted every two years, involved 15,000 high school students in 39 states. Asks questions related to a wide range of activities and attitudes.
There were also some positive comments. Compared to a decade ago, fewer teens reported engaging in sexual activity, using alcohol or using drugs such as marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Since the question related to prescription opioids was asked for the first time, the researchers were unable to determine whether one in seven showed an increase or decrease.
Executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors and social worker David Harvey said that regardless of the absence of a comparison, these figures suggest that opioids may be contributing the least explored impact on adolescent lives. For example, the use of opioids 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 prescription drug use , indicates an adolescent’s susceptibility to STDs such as HIV and syphilis. As many as 39 percent of students had sex in 2017 compared to 48 percent in 2007.
There was also a decrease in the percentage of students experiencing dating sexual violence from 10% in 2013 to 7% in 2017. This, along with a decrease in alcohol and drug use, represented the wisest choices made by students . Experts suggest that family support, especially parental care, can make a big difference in a teen’s life. In addition, increased access to mental health and substance abuse resources can also make a big difference. Schools can contribute by offering coping skills and bystander intervention training.
Among LGBT adolescents, there was a higher incidence of risky behavior as their sense of physical and emotional well-being was threatened. Compared to 2015, a higher number of gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens reported being raped. They also reported skipping school due to concerns about their own safety.
Dealing with the double whammy
Teenagers are impressionable. They are at a juncture where they can easily slip into drugs, which can have an impact on their mental health. Rather, they may turn to addictive substances to deal with their mental problems. Such simultaneous occurrence of these problems is called co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis, which requires immediate intervention.