- More US teens are suffering from depression, increasing by 59% from 2007 to 2017, according to the Pew Research Center .
- Teen girls are three times more likely than teen boys to experience a major depressive episode, Pew found.
- Teen years can lay the foundation for young adulthood teens who feel more connected to others are less likely to experience mental health problems when they're older.
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Depression is on the rise among Gen Z — and teen girls are experiencing the worst of it
Brian Snyder/Reuters
America's teens are depressed.
The number of US teens ages 12 to 17 who said they experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2017 increased by 59% since 2007. That's a total of3.2 million teens, or 13% of the entire cohort, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health .
The most prominent symptom of major depression is "a severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair," accordingto Harvard Medical School .
Teen girls have it the worst they're three times as likely as teen boys to deal with depression. Per Pew, 20% of teen girls cited having a major depressive episode in 2017, compared to 7% of teen boys. The percentage of teen girls (66%) who recently experienced depression also increased at a faster rate than it did for teen boys (44%) from 2007 to 2017. However, teen girls are more likely to receive treatment, Pew found.
Depression might be related to the daily pressures teens are facing. A 2018 Pew study found that 61% of teens of any gender felt pressure to get good grades, 29% felt pressure to look good, and 28% felt pressure to fit in socially.
Teen years are an important indicator of mental health as a young adult. Teens who feel more connected , defined as engaged, supported, and cared for, at home and school are less likely to experience mental health problems and risks, reported HealthDay News , citing a recent CDC study published by the journal Pediatrics .
Overall, the mental health outlook isn't looking good for younger generations depression is also on the rise among millennials .
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