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Mental Health Disorders In Children On The Rise, What Are The Triggers And Signs?
Tuesday, 18 Mar 2025
Mental health issues among young people are increasingly concerning. Feelings of isolation and loneliness, as well as anxiety and depression, are growing rapidly, and are most concerning among children and adolescents. Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2023 showed that 60 percent of adolescent girls felt constantly sad and hopeless in 2021. This problem is common in the US and North America. In a study by the Murdoch Research Children's Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia, 64 respondents reported having experienced at least three episodes of anxiety and depression during their teenage years. The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in exacerbating anxiety in adolescents, reported Fox News Digital on February 18, 2025. However, a study in Melbourne, which experienced strict restrictions on activities, found that the pandemic only contributed to 25 percent of reports of anxiety and depression. The problem was already present before the pandemic and is now worse. Concerns about Social Media What role does social media play? The concerns are so high in Australia that social media is now banned for under-16s, but experts are skeptical that it will work. "It's a hard rule to enforce. And we need more evidence, but it's clear that the more you use social media, the lonelier and less connected you feel. We need to have a system to stop young people from using social media," Dr. Susan M. Sawyer, a leading Australian child and adolescent health expert, told Fox News. Sawyer said we need to focus on developing children's independence skills so they can stand on their own two feet without relying on their phones. "Our kids need something safer than social media," she added. Causes of Mental Illness in Children For some children, stress can trigger serious problems such as depression, anxiety, self-harm or eating disorders. According to Children First, there is no single reason why children develop mental health problems. However, some things, such as having experienced a traumatic event, can be a factor
