The report shows that nearly 3 in 5 (57%) U.S. teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021—double that of boys and a 60 percent increase from 2011. Among teen girls, nearly 1 in 3 (30%) seriously considered attempting suicide—up nearly 60 percent from a decade ago. The report also found more than half (52%) of LGBTQ students had recently experienced poor mental health and more than 1 in 5 (22%) attempted suicide in the past year. African American students were also more likely to attempt suicide than their Asian American, Latino, or white peers while Native American students had the highest rates of “suicidality” (suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts). Overall, nearly 30 percent reported that their mental health was “most of the time or always not good.”^{2 3}

Our kids are experiencing a mental health crisis. As the adults who love them, it’s critically important that we are aware of what is happening. As much as we’d like to, we can’t change the world, but we can be equipped with the information and tools to help our kids thrive.

Good Mental Health Starts with a Good Diet

Adolescents are notorious junk food junkies (my daughter has been raised on healthy food, yet, to my dismay, she still loves alllll the junk food; like one parent said, “It must be in their DNA to crave Sour Patch Kids and Takis”). Research confirms what we parents know: Adolescents are among the demographic group that consumes the most ultra-processed foods (UPF) and drinks (e.g., soft drinks, candy, sugary breakfast cereals, packaged baked goods, chips, pizza, fries, etc.) A 2022 study found that participants aged 14-17 reported eating about eight servings of UPF every day, with boys showing a higher consumption than girls, while their consumption of fruits and vegetables were lower than recommended (on average, less than two servings per day). Higher consumption of UPF was associated with a higher presence of depressive symptoms across the board, and behavioral problems like fighting or teasing others, not listening to rules, and not understanding others’ feelings, particularly among males. Female adolescents reported more depressive symptoms, anxiety, and internalizing problems.⁴ Previous studies corroborate these findings, including one recent study that found adolescents who consumed seven or more soft drinks a week had “significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression.”^{5 6 7}

On the other hand, a healthy diet (at least a more balanced diet in which healthy foods outnumber junk foods) goes a long way to support mental health and wellbeing. A study published in the journal PLOS ONE examined the diets and mental health of nearly 3,000 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 over the course of two years and then again two years later. Even when accounting for socio-economic status, gender, and physical activity, the kids with healthier diets had better mental health. The researchers qualified a healthy diet as two or more servings of fruit per day, four or more servings of veggies per day, and eating food from home versus restaurant/fast food. The researchers also found that when the kids’ diets improved, so did their mental health, while reductions in diet quality were associated with “declining psychological functioning” over the follow up period.⁸ I know it may be hard (impossible) to completely eliminate junk food from your tween/teen’s diet, but remember—it’s all about balance!

Reassess Their Time on Social Media

In a moment of synchronicity, as I was writing this article, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about social media use and young people, saying that “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis—one that we must urgently address.” The report stated that “there are ample indicators that social media can have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.”⁹ Research backs this up. A review published in 2020 found evidence from a variety of studies that “…implicate smartphone and social media use in the increase in mental distress, self-injurious behavior, and suicidality among youth; there is a dose-response relationship, and the effects appear to be greatest among girls.”¹⁰ An earlier study published in 2018 investigated how screen time affected the mental health of kids between the ages of two and 17 and found that as screen time increased, mental wellness decreased. Among 14- to 17-year-olds, those that had seven or more hours of screen time each day were more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety and to have been treated by a mental health professional or taken medication for a psychological or behavioral issue in the past year.¹¹ Seven hours may seem like a lot, but it’s the average time most teens spend on screens.¹²

On the other hand, we also know that social media is how a lot of kids connect—the same warning issued by the Surgeon General reported that many adolescents say social media helps them feel more accepted, to feel connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives, acts as a support network in tough times, and is a place to show their creativity. The critical point seems to be how much time they spend on social media. Any parent knows this struggle well, and for many, it can feel like a constant battle. But this is a battle worth fighting. Working with our kids to set healthy boundaries and limits around social media use has become a modern-day parenting necessity.

Support with Supplements

Adolescence, defined as the phase of life from 10 to 19, is a time of critical brain growth and development, and the brain requires nutrients to do this. A healthy diet sets the foundation for mental and emotional wellbeing, but as we already established, teens don’t always have the best eating habits. A quality multivitamin should be a part of every child’s, tween’s, and teen’s daily routine. It will provide all of the vitamins and minerals a growing brain requires, including the B-complex vitamins, which play an important role in maintaining mental wellbeing.  In addition to a multivitamin, the following supplements help support mental wellness:

• A fish oil supplement containing DHA and EPA is a must for children’s and teens’ brains. These fatty acids are essential for normal brain function and support learning, focus and attention, and healthy moods. One study found that supplementation with 2,400 milligrams omega-3 daily (combined EPA and DHA) improved depressive symptoms in adolescents 11-17 years old.  It may also help if your child is challenged with aggressive behavior: A study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that an omega-3 supplement (containing 1 gram of EPA/DHA combined) reduced aggressive and antisocial behavior in children, as well as improved symptoms of depression and anxiety. Virtually no child eats enough fatty fish to obtain optimal amounts of these brain nutrients, making it a vital supplement.   
• Magnesium is a wonderful supplement for promoting calm and is especially good if your child struggles with anxiety, feels stressed, or has trouble with sleep. Magnesium is a must-have mineral for the nervous system. Common symptoms of deficiency include anxiety, irritability, and insomnia or other sleep issues. Magnesium comes in a variety of kid-friendly forms, including powders and gummies, or try a relaxing Epsom salt bath for your child before bedtime (bonus points if you add a few drops of calming lavender essential oil). 
• We know that the gut microbiome directly affects mood via the gut-brain axis. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, supporting healthy moods and a healthy digestive system (stress and anxiety can manifest as digestive issues like constipation, bloating, and belly aches in children). Supplementation with probiotics is especially important if your child has ever taken antibiotics. 
• The herbs lavender, lemon balm, and chamomile are calming and soothing to the nervous system and are gentle enough to safely use in children. These herbs can help bring calm, ease nervousness and anxiety, settle upset bellies, and promote sleep. You can find them in teas (having a cup of calming herbal tea with your child before bedtime can be a delightful routine) and in supplements formulated specifically for children. You can also find them as essential oils to use in a diffuser or in the bath (never use essential oils internally). 
   

Embrace the great outdoors

While our kids are spending endless hours on their screens, they are spending virtually no time playing outside. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, on average, today’s children spend less time playing outside than any previous generation—only four to seven minutes a day. That may have shifted for some kids during the pandemic, in which escaping outdoors was one of the only changes of scenery we were afforded, but in relation to screen time, there is a lot of room for improvement. The connection between nature and our mental wellbeing is so striking that scientists have begun to study it, and the research proves just how important outdoor time is for kids (and adults too), with children who spend more time outdoors tending to be happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. One recent study found that spending 20 to 30 minutes a day outside reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 21 percent. The time of day or specific setting didn’t matter—yard, park, or other green spaces all led to a cortisol drop. Other recent research has found that more nature exposure in childhood leads to better mental health in adulthood.^{19 20 21}

Let them feel their emotions

Kids and teens today have a lot to deal with and are navigating a world quite different than the one we grew up in… they have reasons to feel sad and frustrated. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard regarding this is to normalize (and expect) sadness. Let them know it’s okay to feel sad, frustrated, angry, disappointed, etc. and support them through it. In that same vein, giving them the gift of presence goes a long way in nourishing their mental health. Sometimes all our children need is a little extra attention, some one-on-one time with their parents, or just a good old-fashioned hug.

Parenting through the tween and teen years is hard, and supporting your child through mental health struggles can add an extra layer of challenge. But with a little knowledge, you can give your kiddo the support they need. And sometimes, that’s just letting them know they are not alone.

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988

References

1. Hickman C, MSc, Marks E, ClinPsyD, Pihkala P, PhD, et al. “Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey.” The Lancet Planetary Health, Dec 2021; 5(12) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)0027…
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “U.S. Teen Girls Experiencing Increased Sadness and Violence.” Feb 13, 2023 https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0213-yrbs.html
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)” https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
4. Reales-Moreno M, Tonini P, Escorihuela RM, Solanas M, Fernández-Barrés S, Romaguera D, Contreras-Rodríguez O. Ultra-Processed Foods and Drinks Consumption Is Associated with Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescents. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 15;14(22):4831. doi: 10.3390/nu14224831. 
5. Zhang, X., Huang, X., Xiao, Y., Jing, D., Huang, Y., Chen, L., . . . Shen, M. (2019). Daily intake of soft drinks is associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese adolescents. Public Health Nutrition, 22(14), 2553-2560. doi:10.1017/S1368980019001009
6. Faisal-Cury A., Leite M.A., Loureiro Escuder M.M., Levy R.B., Fernanda M., Peres T. The relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and internalising symptoms among adolescents from São Paulo city, Southeast Brazil. Public Health Nutr. 2022;25:2498–2506. doi: 10.1017/S1368980021004195. 
7. Werneck A.O., Vancampfort D., Oyeyemi A.L., Stubbs B., Silva D.R. Joint association of ultra-processed food and sedentary behavior with anxiety-induced sleep disturbance among Brazilian adolescents. J. Affect. Disord. 2020;266:135–142. 
8. Jacka FN, Kremer PJ, Berk M, et al. “A Prospective Study of Diet Quality and Mental Health in Adolescents,” PLoS ONE. Sept 21, 2011;6(9). https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.00248…
9. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-ad…
10. Abi-Jaoude E, Naylor KT, Pignatiello A. Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. CMAJ. 2020 Feb 10;192(6):E136-E141. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.190434. 
11. Twenge JM and Campbell WK. “Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.” Prev Med Rep. 2018 Dec; 12: 271-283. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6214874/
12. Siegel R. “Tweens, teens and screens: The average time kids spend watching online videos has doubled in 4 years.” The Washington Post, Oct. 29, 2019 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/10/29/survey-average-tim…
13. Esnafoglu E, Ozturan DD. “The relationship of severity of depression with homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D levels in children and adolescents.” Child and Adolescent Mental health, April 18, 2020; vol 25 (4): 249-255. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12387
14. Trebatická J, Hradečná Z, Böhmer F, et al. Emulsified omega-3 fatty-acids modulate the symptoms of depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a pilot study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2017;11:30. Published 2017 Jul 5. doi:10.1186/s13034-017-0167-2
15. Amen Clinics. “New Evidence on Omega-3s for Behavioral Problems in Children,” Oct 12, 2020. https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/new-evidence-on-omega-3s-for-behaviora…
16. Raine A, Portnoy J, Liu J, et al. “Reduction in behavior problems with omega-3 supplementation in children aged 8-16 years: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel-group trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2015;56(5): 509 https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jcpp.12314
17. Low Dog T, MD. “Three Herbs for Kids,” Sept 9, 2019. https://drlowdog.com/three-herbs-for-kids/
18. Koulivand PH, Ghadiri MK, and Gorji A. “Lavender and the Nervous System.” Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. March 14, 2013 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/
19. Wells NM and Evans GW. “Nearby Nature: A Buffer of Life Stress Among Rural Children.” Environment and Behavior, May 1, 2003. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013916503035003001
20. Preuss M, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Marquez S, et al. “Low Childhood Nature Exposure is Associated with Worse Mental Health in Adulthood.” International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health, 2019 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190521193735.htm
21. Hunter MR, Gillespie BW and Chen S Y-P. “Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers.” Front Psychol. April 4, 2019. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722/full