Sound mental health is pivotal in every stage of life, from early years to adolescence and adulthood. It encompasses our emotional, mental, and social well-being. Our mental health condition influences our feelings, actions, thoughts, and how we interact with the world around us and face adversaries thrown at us by practical life. With the growing pressures of the modern age, teens and young adults are reported to be more prone to suffering from mental health concerns. If untreated, these concerns can morph into graver illnesses that limit opportunities for people to lead fulfilling lives as adults.

After the recent global pandemic, the negative impact on the mental health of people all over the United States is exacerbating. This piece will take a closer look at how mental health conditions are plaguing Texas youth. We’ll review facts about depression in youth (adolescents, teens, and young adults) and how the available help is not enough:

Mental health issues are more common than one might think

As many as 1 in 5 U.S. adults undergo mental illness each year, and some 3,347,000 adults in Texas are currently suffering from a mental health condition. Also, as many as 796,000 adults in Texas have been reported to have a serious mental illness. In February 2021, 43.4% of adults in Texas reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. It was also reported that Texans are five times more likely to be forced out-of-network for mental health care than for primary care, which makes it hard for them to find help. Of 839,000 Texan adults who didn’t receive required mental health care, 45.3% were held back by unaffordability.

1 in 6 U.S. youth (aged 6-17) have a mental disorder. For Texas, the stats show that 314,000 young Texans (aged 12-17) have depression. It was also reported that 64.7% of Texans suffering from depression didn’t receive help in the last year.

Depression: One of the most prevalent and overlooked mental health disorder

Major depressive disorder, or depression, is a more severe and common mental health disorder that negatively affects a person’s ability to think, feel or act. Depression in youth statistics shows that this disorder can lead to various mental, emotional, and physical issues. As per World Population Review, some of the symptoms of this condition might include (but aren’t limited to):

•          Feeling sad or dejected
•          Losing interest in activities
•          Trouble sleeping or sleeping too long
•           Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
•      Change in weight (either loss or gain) or appetite
•           Slowed speech or movement
•           Trouble thinking or concentrating
•           Increased inclination to repeat purposeless tasks (like pacing)
•      Thoughts of suicide/self-harm

Rising depression rates in youth

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) executed a study recently that cited that an estimated 21 million adults (aged 18-25) in the United States (which encompasses 8.4% of all U.S. adults) had at least one major depressive episode (MDE). A higher number of major depressive episodes were witnessed in adult females (10.5%) compared to males (6.2%). It was also reported that individuals aged 18-25 were afflicted with the highest number of major depressive episodes (17%). People from multiple races were also reported to have a higher prevalence of major depressive episodes (15.9%).

Statistics of depression in teenagers are more worrisome. In 2020, some 4.1 million adolescents (aged 12-17) – who represent 17% of the U.S. population of the same age – had at least one major depressive episode. This number was even higher in adolescent females (25.2%) compared to males (9.2%). In adolescents reporting two or more races, major depressive episodes were higher, affecting 29.9% of multiracial teens.

Leading causes of depression in youth: The risk factors to watch out for

Depression can occur at any stage of life and can combine with other mental and physical health disorders if left untreated. Research implies that biological, environmental, and genetic factors play a role in the onslaught of a depressive episode. If you ask what the significant causes of depression in youth are, these might be a few triggering factors:

•          Personal or family history of depression
•      Major life changes, trauma, or stress
•           Certain physical illnesses and medications
  
  

The recent pandemic has also caused the general mental health of youth in Texas to deteriorate

 Why is depression more prevalent among women?

According to the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience,  the triggers for depression appear to be different in men and women, with women more often presenting with internalizing symptoms (higher sensitivity to interpersonal relationships) and men presenting with externalizing symptoms (external career and goal-oriented factors).

Women have also been reported to be more prone to specific forms of depression-related illnesses like postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and postmenopausal depression and anxiety –all linked to ovarian hormones. The study concluded that underlying mechanisms for the higher prevalence of depression in women remain unclear, which is why there are no specific treatments for women as of yet.

Types of treatment available

Depression is a treatable disease, even in the most severe cases. However, an early diagnosis and treatment can help with effective disease management. As for the treatment options, one or a combination of the following options can usually help people get rid of their depression:

•        Medications
•          Psychotherapies
•         Brain Stimulation Therapies or Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
•          Natural Products

Mental health statistics in Texas USA| Challenges hindering mental health care provision in Texas

When it comes to mental health prevalence and access to care for the youth, Texas ranks at 42 out of 52. This depicts one of the highest prevalences of mental illness and lower rates of access to care). Despite having one of the highest mental health prevalence in all of the U.S. states, Texas’s access to care is far from satisfactory. Why? You might wonder. Here is what the healthcare community has to say about the matter:

Primary care providers cannot consistently screen for mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and trauma. Moreover, even when someone is diagnosed with such an affliction, the available help resources are poorly equipped.

The system is being used to its total capacity; this hinders timely care delivery to families with children diagnosed with mental health concerns.

Staffing limitations, high costs associated with training providers, problems retaining trained resources, and other recruitment problems make it difficult to provide competent care to those who need it.

Lack of proximity and affordability of mental health care are also two problems that keep people from getting necessary treatment. People either have to drive hours for their appointments, or they find themselves without funds to sustain their treatments.

As per a report published by KVUE, two-thirds of Texan counties don’t have a single psychiatrist. NAMI Executive Director Greg Hansch also associated the lack of proper care provision with mental health stigma and the low ratio of insured people in Texas. He went as far as to say that the number of uninsured people in Texas is twice the national average.

Beyond treatment: Learn to be mindful of your mental health and tailor your lifestyle accordingly!