What Percentage of Teens Have Mental Health Issues?

Posted January 18, 2023

Adolescent mental health is a primary concern in the United States. As we know, the teen years are a crucial period of body and brain growth. When coupled with academic stresses, peer pressure, and added expectations from the family, teenagers have a lot to process and navigate. With these stresses and pressures, it is no surprise that teenagers often have great difficulty in navigating their day-to-day lives. While many teens learn to cope with these pressures in a healthy manner, some have trouble doing so and can develop mental illnesses as a result. This article focuses on what percentage of teens have mental issues. We will discuss why teen mental illness is common and how these issues impact teens now and in the long run. Call Adolescent Wellness Academy toll-free today if your teen is struggling with mental health issues.

Why is Teen Mental Health a Common Problem?

Mental illness is a complex problem that does not have one overarching cause. In reality, teen mental illness can arise from a multitude of factors. A teen’s environment includes a host of risk factors, including the following:

Emotional, sexual, or physical abuse
Bullying
Demands at school or work
Dysfunctional home environment
Death of a parent or sibling
Natural disaster
School shooting
Low self-esteem

There can also be biological factors that make teens vulnerable to developing mental illness. There can be a family history of mental illness, or teens may have abnormalities or other changes in the brain. Also, mental illness may be the result of a brain injury, major infection, or disease. Additionally, teens who abuse substances are more susceptible in developing a mental illness. It is important to note that having a risk factor or group of risk factors does not mean a teen will develop a mental illness. Instead, the presence of these risk factors may indicate an increased vulnerability to developing such an illness.

What Percentage of Teens Have Mental Health Issues?

You may be shocked to know that teen mental illness is a common problem in the United States. Some statistics show that 20% of teenagers have a mental illness that has been diagnosed by a professional. Also, it is estimated that between 20-30% of teens will have at least one major depressive episode before they reach adulthood. The Office of Population Affairs provides the following additional statistics on teen mental illness:

32% of teens aged 13-18 experience anxiety
13% of teens aged 13-18 experience depression
9% of 13–18-year-olds will be diagnosed with ADHD.
3% of 13- to 18-year-olds will be diagnosed with an eating disorder

While these statistics are sobering, knowing exactly what percentage of teens have mental issues may be much higher.

How Do Mental Health Issues Affect Teens?

The effects of mental illness on teens include a wide variety of physical and mental ailments. The most common found in teens include the following:

Have lost interest in things that they used to enjoy
Have low energy
Sleep too much or too little, or seem sleepy throughout the day
Are spending more and more time alone, and avoid social activities with friends or family
Diet or exercise excessively, or fear gaining weight
Engage in self-harm behaviors (such as cutting or burning their skin)
Smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs
Engage in risky or destructive behavior alone or with friends
Have thoughts of suicide
Have periods of highly elevated energy and activity, and require much less sleep than usual
Say that they think someone is trying to control their mind or that they hear things that other people cannot hear.

When teens are struggling with mental illness, family relationships become strained and dysfunctional. Teens with mental illnesses also isolate from family and friends and are frequently tardy from school. Additionally, teens will complain of physical pains associated with their mental illness.

Adolescent Wellness Academy is a Teen Mental Health Treatment Center in South Florida

By learning what percentage of teens have mental health issues, you can become more aware of how serious the issue is. If your teen is fighting a battle with mental illness, now is the time to act. Finding the right professional help will give your teen and your family the tools and support you need to manage mental health and empower your teen to transform into the healthy and happy young person they deserve to be. Adolescent Wellness Academy is a top-tier outpatient mental health and substance abuse facility that gives teens in South Florida a safe and supportive space to address their issues.

We offer dynamic programs and services that are individually tailored to meet your teen’s needs. We provide quality outpatient and afterschool care programs and support beyond treatment so your teen can grow confident and thrive in the home environment. Call Adolescent Wellness Academy toll-free right now and help your teen find lasting health and happiness with our teen mental health treatment program.