Identifying teenage mental illness symptoms can be difficult. That’s because most teens are moody and emotional during this time of dramatic physical and mental changes.
However globally, one in seven teens has a diagnosable mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. And these teen mental disorders are on the rise. In fact, experts say that mental disorders in teenagers are at an all-time high.
Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, according to the World Health Organization. In this article, we’ll look at the various teenage mental disorders, their symptoms, and some statistics around each.
Quick Read
Identifying symptoms of mental illness in teenagers can be challenging due to the natural moodiness and emotional fluctuations that accompany this developmental stage. However, it is crucial to recognize that globally, one in seven teens suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder, with conditions such as depression and anxiety on the rise. The World Health Organization highlights that depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, underscoring the urgency of understanding these mental health issues.
Major depression, or major depressive disorder, is characterized by severe symptoms lasting at least two weeks, including low self-esteem, loss of interest in activities, and difficulties with sleep, energy, and concentration. Recent statistics reveal a significant increase in major depressive episodes among U.S. adolescents, rising from 8 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2023. Notably, multiracial teens report the highest rates at 24 percent, followed by white adolescents at 19.6 percent. Anxiety disorders, particularly Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), also affect a substantial number of teens, with nearly 20 percent showing signs of anxiety in recent weeks, especially among girls.
Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, pose severe risks to both physical and mental health, often co-occurring with other mental health issues. Substance use disorder is another significant concern, as many teens resort to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism for underlying mental health conditions. Furthermore, borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia can emerge during adolescence, leading to emotional instability and challenges in processing reality. Trauma and PTSD are also prevalent, with 5 percent of adolescents experiencing PTSD in the past year, particularly among females.
The increase in teenage mental health disorders can be attributed to various factors, including excessive screen time, social media pressures, academic stress, and a lack of coping skills. The adolescent brain’s ongoing development contributes to impulsive behaviors, while reduced outdoor activity exacerbates mental health issues. Effective treatment from mental health professionals is vital, yet many adolescents face barriers to accessing care. Early intervention is essential for improving outcomes, highlighting the critical need for awareness and support for teenage mental health.
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Major Depression in Teens
Major depression is also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It is one of the forms of depression that has the most severe symptoms. A major depressive episode is a period of at least two weeks of low mood that is present in most situations. Symptoms include low self-esteem, loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities, and problems with sleep, energy and concentration.
Teens with major depression find it difficult or impossible to do normal daily activities, such as working, studying, sleeping, and eating. Furthermore, those who have had one episode of major depressive disorder are at high risk of having another.
Teen Statistics
According to the latest data from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the amount of US adolescents ages 12 to 17 who experienced a major depressive episode in the past year rose from 8 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2023. While lower than pandemic levels of 20 percent reported in 2021, these percentages are still higher than those in 2019 and 2020.
Additionally, teens who had reported a major depressive episode was particularly high among multiracial respondents (24 percent), followed by white adolescents (20 percent), Asian (14 percent) and Black teens (13 percent).
Teen Anxiety
It’s not always easy to tell when typical teen stress crosses over into anxiety in teenagers. However, teens with an anxiety disorder experience particularly high levels of anxiety. Moreover, these feelings get worse over time, rather than improving on their own.
Additionally, teens with anxiety disorders struggle with feelings of tension and fear that can interfere with daily activities at work and at school. Furthermore, like other teen mental disorders, teen anxiety affects adolescents’ relationships with peers and family members.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the most common teen anxiety disorder. This type of anxiety in teenagers involves excessive anxiety or worry over everyday events. Moreover, the anxiety lasts for a prolonged period of time. Teens with generalized anxiety experience intense emotional stress, as well as a range of anxiety-related symptoms. Moreover, teens with GAD experience excessive worrying and also low self-esteem.
Teen Statistics
CDC data shows nearly 20 percent of adolescents ages 12–17 showed signs of anxiety in the past two weeks. The instances were higher in adolescent girls at 29 percent and boys at 10 percent.
Eating Disorders in Teens
Teen eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rate of any mental disorder, resulting from starvation, metabolic collapse, or suicide. Therefore, it is one of the most dangerous teen mental disorders.
Consequently, teen eating disorders produce extreme disturbances in teenage eating behaviors and therefore physical health. But they also affect teenage mental health. Eating disorders almost always co-exist with another mental health issue.
Hence, adolescents with teen eating disorders tend to be moody, anxious, and/or depressed. Teens with eating disorders are also at greater risk for substance use and self-harming behavior.
Read “The Truth About Teen Eating Disorders: Causes, Effects, and Statistics.”
Substance Use Disorder
The list of teen mental disorders includes substance use disorder. That’s because teens use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate depression, anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, and other underlying conditions.
Substance use becomes an unhealthy and dangerous coping mechanism for symptoms of teen mental disorders. And prolonged use can progress into addiction. Scientists have found that the following factors increase the likelihood of substance use disorder:
- Genetic predisposition
- Environmental acceptance of heavy drug use
- Peer pressure
Teen Statistics
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, around 15 percent of 8th-graders have tried illicit drugs at least once, a number that climbs to 37 percent by grade 12. Additionally, nearly 6 percent of overdose deaths are between the ages of 15 to 24. Additionally, around 19 percent of 8th grade students have abused alcohol at least once as have 49 percent of seniors.
Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens
Teens with borderline personality disorder lack a stable sense of self. Thus, teens with borderline personality disorder don’t know how to process emotions. Hence, without a firm identity, people with borderline personality disorder have extreme emotional instability.
Moreover, borderline personality disorder often first appears in teenagers and young adults. And teens with borderline personality disorder are unable to connect with others. Consequently, they become isolated and desperate. Lacking a clear sense of self, they feel chaotic and anxious. Therefore, encounters and scenarios that should be relatively easy to manage become difficult.
Teen Statistics
There are very few studies of the prevalence of borderline personality disorder in young people, but two suggest that the disorder affects between 0.9 to 3 percent of those under the age of 18.
Teenage Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic, lifelong disease. In addition, schizophrenia behaviors begin to develop in adolescence. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), symptoms of schizophrenia often start in people who are younger than 30. Teenagers suffering from schizophrenia have trouble processing personal emotions. And they often become completely detached from reality.
People with schizophrenia have differences in their brain structures, chemical makeup, and processing abilities. Hence, people with schizophrenia have a difficult time understanding information and processing lessons. As a result, it can be difficult for them to completely take control of their disease. Therefore, the goal of schizophrenia treatment is to help the person understand the disease and work hard to keep it under control.
Teen Statistics
Schizophrenia in childhood is rare, however rises dramatically in adolescence, and its prevalence is estimated at 0.23 percent for those ages 13 to 18.
Teen Trauma and PTSD
After tragic events, those who were impacted—directly or indirectly—may experience lasting effects. Such trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Causes of PTSD in teens include accidents, natural disasters, fires, crimes, childhood abuse, the loss of a parent or other family member, and other tragedies and childhood trauma.
A single traumatic event is called an “acute trauma.” An acute trauma can lead to teen mental disorders such as traumatic stress and PTSD. Traumatic stress can last days, weeks, or months following the event.
Ongoing traumatic events, such as exposure to childhood abuse, domestic violence, or gang violence, are called “chronic trauma.” Both acute and chronic trauma can lead to PTSD in teens.
Teen Statistics
The National Institute of Mental Health data indicates the past-year prevalence of PTSD among adolescents to be 5 percent, with an estimated 1.5 percent showing severe impairment. The prevalence of PTSD among adolescents was higher for females (8 percent) than for males (2 percent).
Other Teenage Mental Health Conditions
Beyond the most common teen mental disorders, adolescents also experience other mental health conditions. These include the following:
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Narcissistic Personality Disorder affects around 6 percent of people nationwide, but is more prevalent in younger people. Narcissistic tendencies include having grandiose ideas about oneself and one’s achievements. Moreover, narcissists lack the ability to empathize with others.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that affects children, teens, and adults. OCD is characterized by a cycle of unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that an individual feels driven to perform.
Histrionic Personality Disorder: Histrionic Personality Disorder in teenagers is a mental health condition that is characterized by over-dramatizing feelings and situations.
Dissociative Identity Disorder: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a diagnosis in which a person has two or more distinct personality states. Those with DID are often struggling with deep trauma or abuse.
Gaming Disorder: The World Health Organization recently classified gaming disorder as a mental health condition. Gaming disorder is similar to other addictions, such as gambling addiction or substance use. Therefore, this disorder is characterized by the inability to control an obsession with video gaming.
The Causes of Teen Mental Health Disorders
Experts have various theories about why teen mental disorders are increasing so dramatically. Most important, they believe that teenagers may be affected by a combination of several of these factors.
- For one, scientists have found correlations between screen time and teen mental disorders. About 1 in 4 teenagers with four or more hours of daily screen time have experienced anxiety or depression symptoms in the past 2 weeks. Excessive use of technology takes time and energy away from relationships, education, and extracurricular activities.
- In addition, social media is a primary source of anxiety and pressure for adolescents. Teens become depressed when they compare their lives unfavorably to the people they follow on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
- Moreover, many teens experience some degree of academic pressure. Hence, an uncertain economy and tough competition for college, grad school, and jobs make that pressure worse.
- Furthermore, today’s teens have fewer coping skills. Parents try to shield them from experiencing failure and disappointment. Therefore, teens have fewer chances to build resilience. Thus, they don’t learn how to cope with challenges.
- The adolescent brain is still growing. Hence, teens have an immature prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls self-regulation. Thus, they have a limited ability to exert control over their impulses. Consequently, this leads to teenage risk behaviors, such as substance use and unsafe sexual choices.
- Because adolescents spend so much time on screens, they don’t get outside enough. Hence, they suffer from nature deficit disorder, a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods. Because teens and children are spending less time outdoors, they experience a wide range of behavioral and mental health problems.
Treatment for Teen Mental Disorders
Treatment by mental health professionals makes a significant difference in teenage mental health disorders. However, many adolescents don’t get the type of mental health treatment they need. In fact, a majority (54 percent) of young people ages 12 to 17 still have difficulty getting needed mental healthcare.
Treatment options for teen mental disorders include residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and partial hospital programs.
Read “Types of Mental Health Treatment.”
In summary, teen mental disorders are widespread and run the gamut from brief periods of distress to chronic mental illness. Therefore, treatment for teenage mental health conditions is crucial. And earlier treatment results in better outcomes.
Sources:
NCHS Data Brief No. 513, October 2024
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health3ww
