By Landon Gray

The #mentalhealthcrisis among America’s #highschool #students significantly worsened during the #COVID-19 #pandemic, according to a new report from the #CDC.

Data from the 2021 #Adolescent #Behaviors and Experiences Survey, an online private survey of #students in grades 9 through 12, provided troublesome insight into the #mentalhealth of young people. The survey documented more than 37% of #students experienced poor #mentalhealth during the #pandemic, 44% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or #hopelessness during the 12 months before the survey, and nearly 20% seriously considered a #suicideattempt and 9% had attempted #suicide.

“#Youth are in crisis,” said Kathleen Ethier, PhD, the director of the CDC’s Division of #Adolescent and #School Health. Based on the survey findings, some demographics showed higher risk for #mentalhealthissues compared with others; #females, #LGBTQ and sexually questioning #students were disproportionally affected.

“Seventy-four percent of #lesbian, #gay, #bisexual #youth and 63% of #female #youth reported emotional abuse in the home. And 26% of #lesbian, #gay, #bisexual #youth and 12% of #female #youth attempted #suicide—-both at much higher levels than #heterosexual #students and #male #students,” she said.

Dr. Ethier said although there was not a #genderidentity question on this particular survey, past data show that “transgendered young people experience greater levels of violence, more #stigma and are more likely to have #mentalhealthproblems and #suicidalthoughts and #behaviors than their peers, so we would expect to see potentially more extreme outcomes for #transgendered #youth.”

This was the first time the #CDC had surveyed and asked #students whether they had ever experienced #racism at #school, before or during the #pandemic. They found that one-third of #students had been discriminated against; the highest reported instances came from #Asian, #Black and #multiracial #students. The #CDC declared #racism as a serious public threat. The data showed that #students who experienced #racism at #school were more likely to report poor #mentalhealth than #students who have not.

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“The worsening #mentalhealth of #youth was a growing public health issue even before #America had ever heard of #COVID-19. Data from high #schools across the country already signaled the problem, with more #students saying they felt sad and hopeless, and more #students attempting #suicide in the decade prior to the #pandemic,” Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, the director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, #STD, and TB Prevention, said during a #CDC news briefing. The #CDC also reported that #mentalhealthproblems and risky #behaviors, such as drug use and risky sexual #behaviors, can last into adulthood.

The #CDC said past and present data only highlight the importance of #schools in mitigating the impact of the #pandemic. They said decades of research show that all #students who feel safe, protected and connected in #school were less likely to experience poor #mentalhealth.

“The #CDC’s What Works in #Schools program incorporates specific strategies that #schools can use to help all #students feel safer and more supported. Improving the health of #LGBTQ #students is an essential component of that work,” Dr. Ethier said.

“#School policies and practices designed to support #LGBTQ #youth lead to improvements in #mentalhealth and #suicide-related #behaviors. When #schools are left toxic for #youth at increased risk for severe outcomes, #schools are left toxic for everyone.”
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