US Surgeon General Warns About 'Devastating' Mental Health Problems On Rise Among America's Youth
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The United States Surgeon General is issuing a rare public advisory that says young people are facing "devastating" mental health problems that have been heightened by the pandemic. In the early part of 2021, suicide attempts among adolescent boys rose 4% and for adolescent girls, it was a whopping 51% increase.
"The sooner we can end that stigma, the sooner people can realize young people can realize that there's nothing wrong with having mental health struggles and that they're not alone and that they can seek treatment," said Becca Lane, the youth education and outreach manager at National Alliance on Mental Illness Philadelphia.
Lane is the youth outreach manager for NAMI in Philadelphia. NAMI's helping young people now dealing with increased levels of loneliness, anxiety and depression.
"During the pandemic, our education program Ending the Silence, which is our teen mental health program, went online so we provided virtually," Lane said. "We also started a youth podcast so people can listen to stories of other young people who are experiencing mental health, who have experienced mental health issues and know that they're not alone."
NAMI Philadelphia has a variety of mental health resources and programs. Click here to access them. NAMI's mental health helpline is 267-687-4381.
