By: Nithya Cheemalamarri
Middle school is a challenging change for some. It’s a new environment. There are lots of new people, the competitive environment starts to build up, and students are held to higher expectations as opposed to elementary school. The sudden adjustment to this new environment can be especially tolling on students’ mental health.
According to the American Association of University Women, “[middle school and high school] female students report higher incidents of psychological and emotional issues than male students — and that can interfere with their academic achievement.” The increased pressure of stereotypes regarding school performance, body images, and influences from social media are all large contributing factors to depression and social anxiety in the long run. Moreover, “mental health issues among youth appear to be increasing.” For many, mental health concerns are not considered in this age group. While it may seem unrealistic for children so young to experience mental health illnesses, it is highly prevalent. “Major depressive events among 12-to-17-year-olds went up by more than 50% since 2005.” Untreated mental health illnesses are a result of this stigma. “Girls with unaddressed mental health problems may withdraw from classes and activities, have trouble in school, engage in unhealthy relationships, and self harm, among other things.”
Especially with the onset of the pandemic, girls have been unable to build social connections during their vital middle school time, severely affecting their mental health. Groups with “lower educational attainment, financial difficulties, race, and obesity may be associated with more distress during the pandemic.” Because of the lack of knowledge surrounding teen mental health, many teens often do not have access to therapy and other help sources. One method that has been proven to help teens combat intrusive thoughts during times of distress is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The National Alliance on Mental Health states that “Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions train adolescents to recognize the connections between their thoughts and their feelings. CBT can aid them in identifying their underlying negative beliefs so they can replace them with more positive “counter-thoughts” (i.e., healthier thoughts that oppose their negative beliefs).” CBT involves the ‘Cognitive Triangle,’ which shows how feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are all interrelated. Moreover, providing teens with free online resources can go a long way, especially for those suffering in silence. Though progress is yet to be continued, increased discussion, research, and support are slowly breaking the stigma around teen mental health.
Sources:
https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/September-2021/Supporting-Adolescent-Mental-Health-During-a-Pandemic-and-Back-to-School
https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/girls-and-mental-health/
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/12/a-growing-number-of-american-teenagers-particularly-girls-are-facing-depression/
https://girlsinc.org/lets-make-mental-health-priority/
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