Why in the news?
Recently WHO and UNICEF Released ‘Mental health of children and young people - Service guidance’ Report on occasion of ‘World Mental Health Day’ (10th October).
More on the News
- According to report, One-third of mental health conditions emerge before the age of 14 and half before the age of 18.
- An estimated 15% of adolescents aged 10-19 years experienced mental health conditions with anxiety, depression and behavioural disorders being the most common.
- Suicide was fourth leading cause of death among those aged 15–19 years.
What is Mental Health?
- According to WHO, it refers to “state of well-being in which every individual realizes his/her potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”
- Impact of Untreated Mental Health Issues: Untreated mental health conditions can have lifelong consequences, impacting academic performance, relationships, and future employment, and sometimes leading to severe outcomes like substance abuse or suicide.
Determinants of Mental Health Conditions among adolescents:
- Immediate Triggers/Precipitating Factors: Among adolescents, these include financial loss, sudden grief, mental health deterioration, and adverse life events such as failing exams or public humiliation E.g. Suicides in IITs and at Kota coaching classes.
- Influence of Social Media: A 2018 British study tied social media use to decreased, disrupted, and delayed sleep, which is associated with depression, memory loss, and poor academic performance.
- Cyber bullying: Bullying victimization is associated with depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts.
- Social isolation and loneliness: Dysfunctional family dynamics, hormonal changes, substance abuse and issues of gender identity during teenage years.
- Predisposing Biological Factors:
- Genetic predispositions, such as alterations in gene expression and family history of suicide, can increase suicide risk by affecting brain function and behavior.
- Gender Difference: Especially girls and young people with poor social support experience mental health problems more frequently than boys and those with strong social support.
- Certain personality traits like impulsivity, along with disabilities and major physical illnesses, may also elevate risk by contributing to feelings of isolation, stress, and depression.
Initiatives for Mental Well being Among Adolescents
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Way-forward:
- Integrating mental health into primary health care: It can boost mental health promotion and prevention, early detection and care of common mental health conditions in adolescents.
- E.g. Trained community psychiatric nurses in Nigeria provides outpatient mental health services in primary health care clinics, supported by community health care workers.
- Designing Community-Based Mental Health Services:
- Network of Services: Mental health care should be integrated within general health services (e.g., primary care), complemented by community-specific centers, and supported by services outside health sector, such as schools and youth centers.
- Early interventions: For specific mental health conditions that emerge in adolescence and early adulthood, prompt detection and evidence-based care is essential. E.g. Psychosis, Eating Disorders etc.
- Schizophrenia Research Foundation in Chennai provides early intervention with first-episode psychosis.
- Schizophrenia Research Foundation in Chennai provides early intervention with first-episode psychosis.
- Digital interventions: Digital technologies can be used to deliver or support mental health interventions.
- E.g. WHO’s Chatbot-based Sustainable Technology for Adolescents and Youth to Reduce Stress (STARS).
