CDC Report Finds Teen Girls Experiencing Mental Health Crisis

A CDC report published in February found that over half of teen girls in the United States felt persistently sad or hopeless as levels of violence and suicidal ideation increased to record highs. Data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey exposed several worrying trends, including an uptick in sexual violence against teenage girls.

Self-reported survey responses from 2021 showed that 18% of teen girls had experienced sexual violence in the past year, while 30% had seriously considered attempting suicide. Both statistics represent rapid increases compared to prior measurements.

Trends were worse among teens who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ+), of which more than half reported poor mental health. In addition, 1 in 5 LGBQ+ teens claimed to have attempted suicide in the past year.

“High school should be a time for trailblazing, not trauma. These data show our kids need far more support to cope, hope, and thrive,” Debra Houry, MD, MPH, CDC’s Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science. “Proven school prevention programs can offer teens a vital lifeline in these growing waves of trauma.”

The report highlights how a teen’s school experiences can be a determinative factor in mental health. CDC officials recommend schools focus on mental health initiatives by taking evidence-based steps to foster school connectedness and educate students on sexual consent and managing emotions.

Currently, youth suicide rates are the highest in over two decades, and there were nearly 50% more suicides among people aged 15 – 19 compared to rates in 2000. The increase has made suicide the second-leading cause of death for young adults.

At the beginning of this year, the White House announced new initiatives to study mental health after declaring mental health a crisis throughout the country. The Biden administration dedicated half a billion dollars to support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and several million more to strengthen community services for youth mental health and school-based mental health services.

“Everyone has someone in their life who is impacted by a mental health disorder or is facing such a challenge themselves. It is the high school student whose anxiety is so debilitating that they can’t focus in class or the new parent struggling to rebalance their post-partum life with a baby and returning to work. Each problem exacerbates another. Our nation is facing a mental health crisis among people of all ages, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made these problems worse,” shared White House officials in their recent statement.