6 in 10 high school girls struggle with mental health, study finds

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — In 2021, almost 60% of high school girls in the United States had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That compares with almost 30% of boys.

Stacy Waldron, the psychologist and therapist staff supervisor at the Bryan Health Counseling Center, said social media is part of the problem.

“The images that they have on all of these things tell them they should look a certain way, dress a certain way, be a certain way,” Waldron said. “And for girls, that is incredibly difficult.”

There are certain warning signs to watch out for that can indicate if your teen is struggling with their mental health.

Those can include dramatic behavior changes and not engaging in their regular activities. like quitting a sports team, Waldron said.

Parents, along with trusted teachers and school counselors, can be pivotal in helping a student with their mental health.

It is important have regular conversations with them.

“We’re also teaching them to communicate, how to communicate, how to talk to one another,” Waldron said. “So if we don’t talk to them, they don’t learn how to talk to others.”

If they’re struggling, teens should first talk to a trusted person, such as a school counselor or teacher.

Medicine and clinical approaches can be good resources if problems persist, Waldron said.

Visit the counseling center’s website for more information.