According to a study published in the famous scientific journal \’The Lancet Psychiatry\’, 75% of teenagers in Australia are suffering from anxiety and depression. 64% of adults between 10 and 18 years have faced poor mental health more than three times. This study has been done by the well-known research institute for children, \’Murdock Children\’s Research Institute\’. It is also written in the study that in these cases, there is a need to create strategies for prevention more than clinical care.
According to a study published in the \’Indian Journal of Psychiatry\’ in the year 2019, more than 5 crore children in India were suffering from mental health problems. Most of these children were facing anxiety and depression. According to UNICEF, these figures would have increased a lot after the Corona epidemic.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 300 million people around the world are suffering from anxiety, and 280 million people are facing depression. Currently, this problem is very common among teenagers and youth.
Urgent need for preventive measures
According to Professor Susan Sawyer of the Murdock Children\’s Research Institute, this study on the mental health of adolescents is pointing to a huge problem.
Emotional and behavioral changes occur
Depression and anxiety are becoming a serious mental health problem in teenage. Due to this, the way children think, feel and behave changes. If a little attention is paid, the problem of anxiety or depression of teenagers can be identified. By finding this out, they can be helped.
There are changes in behavior
If a person is suffering from anxiety or depression, then its effect starts showing in his behavior.
What are the main causes of anxiety and depression in teenage
Dr. Satyakant Trivedi says that many hormonal and physical changes are taking place in boys and girls during teenage. During the same time, they also have to go through the pressure of board exams and dilemmas like course selection for a career. If they do not get the right environment at home and school, then these pressures turn into anxiety and depression. These reasons have become a topic of discussion so many times on TV and in newspapers that most people have become aware of them.
However, there are many such reasons that people do not pay attention to. Fast food, sugary drinks, and social media, which have become part of our daily habits, are also causing anxiety and depression. Let\’s see.
Unhealthy eating has an effect
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine in the year 2024, eating junk food, ultraprocessed food, and fast food increases the risk of anxiety and depression manifold. Adults are at the highest risk of this because they are also the biggest consumers of fast food and ultra-processed food.
Increasing risk of depression due to high sugary drinks
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine in the year 2022, the consumption of sugar or sugary drinks is becoming a major reason for the poor mental health of adolescents. All the drinks available in the name of energy drinks or cold drinks can cause anxiety and depression.
Depression is also increasing due to screen time and social media
According to a study published in the scientific journal Frontiers in the year 2023, teenagers who spend more than 7 hours on the screen every day were more than twice as likely to suffer from depression as compared to other teenagers. It also found that if someone is spending one hour a day on social media, then the symptoms of depression increase by 40% per year for every hour.
Depression increases due to not being active
According to a study published in BMC Medicine in the year 2010, boys and girls who do not participate in any kind of sports or physical activities are more likely to suffer from depression. It also revealed that exercising for 1 hour daily or doing physical activities reduces the risk of depression or anxiety by 95%.
Small changes will have a big impact
Dr. Satyakant Trivedi says that anxiety and depression are big mental health problems. Therefore, we look for big solutions for their treatment. Whereas sometimes very small changes can also solve big problems. It is true that there is no sure way to prevent mental health problems. Despite this, we can take some measures. It does not require much effort. For this, very small changes have to be made in the lifestyle by making a strategy:
1. Pay attention to the child\’s diet and daily routine. Tell them the benefits of a balanced and healthy diet and encourage them to follow it regularly.
2. Get up in the morning and go for a walk or jog with the children. After this, give them a chance to play outdoor games for some time in the evening.
3. Quality sleep is very important for good mental health. For this, make sure that the child is getting adequate sleep of 7 hours every day.
4. We cannot keep teenagers away from screens and social media completely. Teach them internet and social media literacy for its use. Make them develop the habit of setting a time for its use.
5. Never burden your children with your expectations. Monitor their performance. After this, identify their weaknesses and strengths and help them strategically.
6. Provide such an environment to your child that he does not feel hesitant to share his thoughts with friends and family members.