Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents: Understanding the Factors and Seeking Help

By Dr. Niru Prasad
www.doctorniruprasad.com
www.findatopdoc.com

ADOLESCENCE is a time of significant change and transition, with many teenagers experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety as they navigate through school, relationships, and their developing identities. However, in recent years, anxiety and depression in adolescents have been on the rise, with a range of factors contributing to this concerning trend.

CURRENT STATISTICS
Early childhood trauma, economic distress, family violence, prolonged isolation during the pandemic, reliance on social media, and failing grades due to irregular attendance are some of the contributory factors causing depression in our adolescents. Anxiety during early childhood can manifest as temper tantrums, separation anxiety, school phobias, or somatic complaints like shortness of breath and vomiting. Depressive episodes follow with negative thoughts and are manifested with changes in eating habits and sleep patterns, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts.

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram have become a significant part of adolescent life, and while it can provide advantages like being socially connected to peers, family, and school counselors, heavy social media use has been linked to depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and drug abuse.
Social media addiction can lead to self-esteem issues and anxiety, which can drive adolescents to abnormal behavior. A study at University of Pennsylvania has found high use of online chat groups can actually increase social isolation and feelings of loneliness. Thus, while social media can be useful for staying connected with others, it can never substitute for real-world human contact. Contacting a real person, such as counselors, close friends, and parents triggers the hormone that reduces stress and brings positive thoughts in our brains. The positive side of social media includes staying updated with family and friends, raising awareness on important issues relevant to health, finding outlets for your creativity, and discovering valuable knowledge.

ROLE OF PARENTS
Parents can play a crucial role in helping their adolescents by engaging in open communication with their children, trying to understand and value their sentiments, and allowing emotional support for themselves while they are helping their kids. A nutritious diet with vitamins and minerals can also help reduce anxiety, with fruits and vegetables, healthy snacks, and vitamins being great ways to stay healthy. Furthermore, there are other strategies to relieve anxiety and depression in adolescents including behavioral therapy, exercises like deep breathing and meditation, socializing, and seeking help from family practitioners.

TOXIC STRESS SYNDROME
It is essential to recognize that anxiety and depression in adolescents are serious mental health issues that require professional help. The concept of toxic stress syndrome, developed by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, reveals that stressful body responses to negative sad incidents, tragedies in the family, and domestic violence during early childhood can leave an impact on developing disruptive behaviors and depressions in adolescents. The part of the brain that triggers stress response is the amygdala, around the hypothalamus area that becomes overactive during acute situations while another area of the brain is governing memories, learning good decision makings which are located in the prefrontal cortex. However if a person suffers a post traumatic event, such as motor vehicle accidents, or sports injuries, these neurons stop acting normal and lose power of thinking and decision making. This combination leaves an adolescent with exaggerated disruptive behaviors leading to chronic anxiety, learning disorders, or poor skills. Anxiety and depression in adolescents are complex issues that require a multifaceted approach to addressing them. By understanding the factors that contribute to these issues, seeking professional help, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits, parents, and adolescents can work together to reduce the incidence of anxiety and depression in this vulnerable population.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
It is vital to seek help from mental health resources like the Staywell Counseling Line by dialing 1-888-535-6136, which provides immediate help to families and victims of depression and suicidal thoughts. Additionally, resources like the Kaiser Family Foundation (www.kforg) the World Health Organization (www.who.int), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cacgov) and Help SucontrolandPregice.com) can provide valuable information and resources for individuals struggling with anxiety and depression. Dr. Prasad is a retired emeritus physician of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a senior staff physician affiliated with St. Joe's Oakland, emeritus pediatrician from Beaumont and retired physician from Henry Ford health system.

COVID-19:

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED THREE YEARS LATER

• Worldwide: WHO reported 6.8 million COVID deaths globally. 900-1000 people, globally, are still dying daily.
• 255 million full-time jobs lost, in terms of working hours, in 2020.
• Global energy-related CO2 emissions fell by 5.8% in 2020, the largest ever decline in global CO2 emissions in history.
• More than 222 million Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and over 106 million people have at least their first booster shot.
• Study finds increased risk of severe disease leading to hospitalization and death with each reinfection after the first COVID-19 infection.
• Vaccine prevented 18 million hospitalizations and 3 million deaths.
• Wastewater tracking is a useful tool for early detection for virus detection. Now a National Program.
• Genomic Surveillance is key for tracking viral evolution. Delta Omicron.
• N95 and KN95 reduced transmission by 83% vs surgical masks 56%

Dr. Prasad has written numerous articles on many different health issues for local newsletters and newspapers. Dr. Prasad's articles can be read on her website, www.doctorniruprasad.com. She also contributes to the top doctor www.findatopdoc.com.

These are her own views from being in clinical practice however she advises our readers, parents, and caretakers to get regular checkups from their physicians for further evaluation and referral to specialty clinics.