The Teen Mental Health Crisis Is More Than Just Anxiety

Anxiety and depression among teens have climbed sharply in recent years. The 2021-2022 National Health Interview Survey found 21% of adolescents ages 12-17 reported recent anxiety symptoms, with girls more than twice as likely as boys to be affected. More recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2021-2023 show 20% of adolescents reported anxiety symptoms and 18% reported depression symptoms within a two-week period, while a 2024 Pew Research survey found 55% of parents are extremely or very concerned about teen mental health today.

That concern doesn’t ease once kids head off to college. According to the American College Health Association, more than 75% of college students report moderate to severe psychological distress. In honor of World Mental Health Day, The Educated Patient spoke with Stacy Doumas, M.D., MBA, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Southern Region chair of psychiatry for Hackensack Meridian Health, about what’s driving these numbers and how families can prepare.

What’s behind the rise

Doumas said anxiety and depression have climbed significantly in kids, and social media has amplified that trend without fully explaining it. Adolescence is an inherently vulnerable period, shaped by identity formation, peer relationships and academic pressure, and social media tends to intensify vulnerabilities that already exist rather than create new ones, especially since teens today struggle to fully disconnect from it.

She said parents should watch for persistent changes from a teen’s baseline rather than ordinary moodiness or a desire for more privacy. Real warning signs include pulling away from people; losing interest in previously enjoyed activities; changes in school performance, hygiene or sleep; and persistent irritability, which can be how depression shows up in teens rather than overt sadness. When starting a conversation, she recommends avoiding anything that feels accusatory and leading instead with gentle observation and curiosity, noting that even if a teen doesn’t open up right away, the door stays open for later.

The college transition

The transition to college brings its own distress, Doumas said, as structured high school routines give way to independence that students must suddenly manage largely alone — friendships, schedules, finances. Most of that distress, she noted, doesn’t escalate into a diagnosable condition and tends to ease with time. For students already in treatment, she recommends a clear plan before move-in: whether therapy will continue remotely or shift to campus counseling, and who manages medication refills. For all students, she suggests identifying campus support resources and setting regular family check-ins in advance.

A note on social media addiction

Doumas also pointed to social media addiction as a concern for some teens, marked by withdrawal from other activities, disrupted sleep and restlessness when away from their phone, warning signs that may call for more targeted intervention. Hackensack Meridian Health has partnered with Georgian Court University in New Jersey to expand on-campus psychiatric care access, with additional college partnerships in development.