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Thomas Hogan

Mr. Dunham

CCP English 1201

28 March 2021

How will an increase in awareness help adolescents understand the consequences of mental

health issues such as stress, depression, and anxiety?

Mental health issues are ongoing medical conditions that are growing by the second. It

affects many people in society today. The three main factors that are influential on someone’s

mental health are stress, anxiety, and depression. It has been discovered more recently that

children and young adults often conduct a large portion of those that suffer from mental health

issues. In fact, it was found that 4.4 million children are diagnosed with anxiety and 1.9 million

children are diagnosed with depression (Zsamboky). Stress, anxiety, and depression are three

illnesses that are prevalent in many peoples' lives today. With an increase in mental health

awareness, adolescents will be able to recognize how stress, anxiety, and depression affect them,

so they can learn how to cope with these mental illnesses in their personal lives.

It is beneficial for all to maintain a stable mental health, but especially adolescents.

Understanding the various aspects of mental health is the first step to improving mental stability.

Mental health includes the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of a person. It

ultimately affects the way someone acts, feels and thinks (What Is Mental Health?). Adolescents

need to understand what their mental health is and how to care for it. It has become more

prominent with the younger generations that adolescents are given what they ask for without

much dispute. They don’t earn anything for themselves because their parents give them

everything they want. This trend of coddling leads to future problems. Parents, guardians, or
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caregivers that don’t let their kids deal with their problems on their own restrict the adolescents

from learning to deal with their own problems. In the future, these adolescents will struggle with

dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression. They are used to someone else dealing with their

problems and so they don’t know how to care for themselves (McDonald). Therefore, when they

are finally on their own, they develop these mental illnesses that negatively affect their overall

mental health. Adolescents need to manage the issues in their life so they don’t develop mental

health issues. The most prevalent mental illness that everyone experiences in some form is stress.

The most common mental illness that affects the mental health of adolescents is stress.

Stress is present in everyone’s life. However, people that do not know how to manage stress

inducing problems in their life can face many other problems that alter their body, mood, and

behavior. One problem that causes stress for many adolescents is experiencing their parents

divorcing. Divorces are increasingly more common in society today. It has been assumed that

“about half of all marriages would end in a divorce” (Ijaz and Zakir). Stankovska and Memedi

state that stress typically results from changes in an individual’s external environment. Parental

divorce is a major change that impacts a person’s environment, regardless of the age of family

members. People depend on their families for love and protection, but children don’t always feel

these values when their parents divorce, which causes more stress to the family dynamics. This

leads to major stress in adolescents. Their emotional state is greatly impacted because when they

need to talk to someone about how they are feeling, they may feel as if their parents aren’t there

to listen. If adolescents understand how to care for their mental state on their own, they might not

be subject to stress during the divorce of their parents. This emotional struggle they go through

tends to lead to changes on their body, mood, and behavior.

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A misconception about stress is that it only has an affect on someone's mental state.

Stress impacts an individual's physical body just as much as it does mentally. If stress is not

managed well, it can lead to bodily changes. Due to recurring stress, adolescents can develop

regular headaches, stomach aches, chest pains, and sleep problems. In some overwhelming cases

of stress, adolescents develop diabetes, become obese, and expereince heart problems (How

Stress Affects Your Body and Behavior). If these adolescents are experiencing changes in their

body, they need to understand why. Increasing awareness about stress will help them to realize

they are getting regular headaches, body aches, etc. because of their lack of management of

stress. That’s also why it is important for caregivers not to excessively pamper their children.

When adolescents learn to manage stressful situations in their early adulthood, they will

recognize ways to deal with stressful events later in life. This is why it is crucial for adolescents

to understand how stress impacts them. This knowledge will allow them to find solutions to

combat the stressors in their lives.

On the other hand, stress can also negatively impact the mood of adolescents. When

stress is not managed properly, there becomes a development of anxiety and depression. They

experience mood swings that result in them experiencing emotions of aggravation, sadness, or

loneliness . They begin to lose a lot of social aspects of their life (Stankovska and Memedi).

Many people encounter issues like not wanting to spend time with their friends or trying to do

things they enjoy. These changes in moods are unhealthy because they can cause feelings of

neglect and pessimism. These consistent emotions can be detrimental and can create a difficult

cycle to break. It is important and can offer many benefits by increasing awareness about how

stress can alter childrens’ mood. Raising awareness will bring attention to the fact that stress is

something that many people experience and there are methods to combat these stressors to avoid
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being negatively impacted by them. Adolescents should be aware of the potential behavioral

changes they will encounter as a result of mental health issues.

The worst effect stress can have on adolescents is behavioral changes. The typical

behavioral changes that adolescents undergo are aggression, violent behavior, and criminal mind

(Ijaz and Zakir). When individuals feel overwhelmed, they can become aggressive. These

individuals experience irritability and annoyance very easily, even with minute situations in life.

They feel as if nothing can go right and this causes them to lash out at others. The trend of them

getting upset very easily progresses into a downward spiral. Stress can get so bad adolescents

begin to utilize drugs like tobacco and liquor (Ijaz and Zakir). They try to find any way possible

to ease their pain. There are many factors and situations that can go wrong when adolescents do

not know how to manage the stress in their life. Offering educational resources and raising

awareness for these issues can help adolescents take steps to maintain a health mental and

physical state.

With an increase in awareness for stress, adolescents will then be able to solve mental

health problems with simple solutions and more ease. One simple task that reduces the stress of

an individual is chewing gum. It is found that “chewing gum reduces the sensory processing of

external stressors and inhibits the retention of stress-related information in the brain (Yaman).

This shows that increasing blood circulation will help people diminish the levels of stress they

have. This supports that physical activity is helpful in reducing stress. Physical activity

significantly reduces stress because endorphins are released when exercising. Endorphins are

hormones in humans and animals that are released during physics tasks. The release of these

endorphins help to diminish the stress someone is experiencing (Cole). Therefore, adolescents

should be getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity. It does not have to be anything
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extreme, a simple walk will do. Not only are the activities simple, they can be done by almost

anyone. It is manageable to do some form of physical activity for 30 minutes a day. It will have a

significant impact on adolescents' mental health and will help build muscle. It is clear that an

increase in awareness about stress will help adolescents to cope with their problems to improve

their mental health. As discussed, there are various methods that adolescents can utilize to help

reduce the stress that they are experiencing.

Anxiety is also a leading factor that affects the mental health of adolescents. It was found

that “anxiety is the most prevalent childhood mental health disorder” (Zsamboky). Figure 1. This

chart shows the

pervasiveness of anxiety

in children and teens. It

is advantageous to

recognize that a large

sum of adolescents are

impacted by anxiety,

more than depression

and behavior disorders. (“Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health”). Stankovska and

Memedi define anxiety as a “biological alarm system that prepares the organism for a mental and

somatic reaction to danger”. In other words, anxiety is your body’s fight or flight reaction to a

threatening situation. The development of anxiety is often believed to come from genetic

inheritance (Zsamboky). Since this information is known, it would be helpful for parents that

experienced or experience anxiety to talk to their children about the topic. There are symptoms

that can help adolescents recognize they experience anxiety. There are multiple forms of anxiety,
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and it is possible that children are not aware of which anxiety they have and how it impacts

them.

There are three main subtypes of anxiety, including social anxiety, separation anxiety, and

generalized anxiety. When an individual fears speaking in public or talking to new people, this is

called social anxiety. Social anxiety explains why adolescents are shy towards others. It typically

is the result of an embarrassing moment that happened to the individual before. This event causes

a form of shock for the individual and implants a fear of being embarrassed again. When

adolescents feel they are going to be put into an awkward situation, they may have a panic

attack. Panic attacks are intense episodes of fear that an individual experiences. These panic

attacks normally last 10 minutes but some severe cases can last for 30 minutes. During the

attacks, the individual may experience deep seeded fear of death. Physical signs that indicate an

individual had or is about to have a panic attack is tremendous shaking, trouble breathing,

nausea, or chest pains. It is reassuring for individuals to know that panic attacks are treatable. If

an individual with panic attacks seeks help, they tend to be panic attack free after 5-8 sessions

(Smith). This is reassuring news to people that encounter panic attacks. The news that panic

attacks are treatable and at times avoidable can help relieve stress. It is important to educate

adolescents that these sessions are available, so that they will reduce the number of times they

have panic attacks. The increase in awareness about the effects of anxiety and possible solutions

to help deter panic attacks will assist in educating adolescents on how to prevent and better

manage social anxiety.

Another form of anxiety that is common in society is separation anxiety. Separation

anxiety is the fear of being away from an individual. This branch of anxiety mainly begins in

childhood but can last all the way up to adulthood (Smith). A common occurrence of separation
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anxiety is when an adolescent is staying the night with or visiting a friend. Adolescents with

separation anxiety tend to find reasons to avoid hanging out with their friends, because the

thought of being away from their parents, for example, is too overwhelming. There are some

adolescents that are comfortable leaving the house during the day, as they do not experience

much anxiety when they do. In some situations, separation anxiety can cause sleeping problems.

Adolescents may get anxious when trying to fall asleep because they do not feel safe without

their parents with them. Having parental separation anxiety is the most common example of

separation anxiety, and kids tend to grow out of this discomfort as they get older. However it can

persist when adolescents start to attend college. The thought of living on their own and not

seeing their parents everyday is too stressful. This can lead to increased crying, stomach pain,

and sleep loss. The best solution to combat separation anxiety is through practice (Smith).

Parents should practice leaving their children to help them get comfortable with being on their

own. This will help children grow mentally and by the time they are young adults, they will be

comfortable leaving their parents. It will also help adolescents recognize that they can function

well without others. This will also boost their mentality and relieve stress. Facing this big

challenge is very difficult for some people, but it is attainable. By conquering this task of facing

separation anxiety, the mental health of adolescents will be greatly improved.

The most common form of anxiety among adolescents is generalized anxiety.

Generalized anxiety is the feeling that something is going to go wrong (Smith). This form of

anxiety can wear someone down physically and mentally. Being in constant fear causes stomach

aches that physically harm the individual. Also, there is a negative effect on someones’ mental

state when they are constantly fearful that something could go wrong. An example of generalized

anxiety is when an individual worries about situations that are out of their control. If an
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individual tries to call someone and they don’t pick up, they instantly think that something

happened to the person they are trying to get in touch with. There is no determined reason that

explains why people may have this gut feeling that something is wrong. Generalized anxiety

tends to predominantly affect teens. Zsamboky explains that the “prevalence of anxiety increases

with age and typically persists into adulthood”. This shows that managing anxiety should begin

at an early age. If it is not managed, then it will only get worse as time passes. The number one

way to prevent this from happening is raising awareness. Parents can educate their children at a

young age to help outline what anxiety is and what effects it has it on the body. This could be

very useful for future situations. If children show early signs of anxiety, they can be treated at an

early stage. It’s very clear that anxiety can “interfere with social, emotional, cognitive, and

academic milestones” (Zsamboky). Although the main solution for reducing anxiety in

adolescents is physical exercise, some medications need to be taken in severe cases. It is strongly

encouraged that children attend therapy before they resort to utilizing medications. In many

cases, adolescents that suffer from severe anxiety may also then suffer from depression.

Depression has one of the biggest impacts on mental health. Higuera describes depression

as a “mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with

a person’s everyday activities”. This explanation of depression can help adolescents that are

experiencing sadness and pain every day determine if they have depression. Oftentimes, family

dynamics are a factor that creates a higher risk of developing depression. It is common for

adolescents to develop depression due to a family history of depression. Another thing that can

cause depression is trauma. Childhood trauma and drug use can play a role in the development of

depression. There is no specific cause of depression in adolescents, but there are a few things that

increase the risk of it. This mental illness tends to deter the completion of daily life functions.
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People that experience depression often have changes in mood in behavior that constrict them

from interacting with people. Instead, they seclude themselves and avoid seeking the presence of

others. They can experience a change in their physical well-being, sleep pattern, cognitive

ability, and mood. Stankovska and Memedi describe that depressive moods in adolescents are

“accompanied by negative thoughts, pessimism, low life energy, reduced motivation, and a

reduced sense of pleasure that can last for a longer period of time.” These mood disorders can

lead to serious effects on an individual such as suicidal ideations, nonsuicidal self-harm, and

suicide attempts (Zsamboky). Most people that have depression also have severe anxiety which

enhances the depression. Depression is also one of the most serious mental illnesses because it’s

repercussions result in mental health detioration, self-harm, or suicide.

Suicide rates in soceity today have been skyrocketing. More teens are killing themselves

every day than ever before. In fact, the second leading cause in children’s death from 2017 was

suicide (Zsamboky). This shows that depression is consuming adolescent’s lives. The best way to

reduce these numbers is by helping adolescents recognize and attain mental health resources that

are available to them. There are a few solutions to combat depression, with the most common

solution being therapy. Therapy is beneficial because it gives people the opportunity to talk about

their feelings, and how to cope and manage their emotions and thoughts. It can also be reassuring

for adolescents to recognize that they are not going through their situation alone and others are

also experiencing things similar to them. It is encouraged that those who suffer from depression

keep a gratitude journal. A journal is a very simple but highly effective way to focus on the

positive aspects of one’s life. Another way adolescents can diminish their depression symptoms

is by reducing the use of alcohol and drugs if they are using them. Alcohol and drugs may ease a

person's pain temporarily, but there is an increase in depression in the long run. Getting exercise
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can also significantly reduce the effects of depression. Getting at least 30 minutes of physical

activity will increase the release of endorphins to better the mental state of a person. In severe

cases of adolescents with depression, medication can be used to maintain the mental state. The

most common types of medications that combat these mental health issues are antidepressants,

antianxiety, and antipsychotic. Although these medications may help people feel a little bit better,

there are some risks of taking medicines too. Some side effects of antidepressants can include

nausea, weight loss, and drowsiness (Higuera). Depression has the most influential impact on

adolescents. It is important to educate children with the symptoms and solutions to combating

mental health issues. An increase in awareness about mental health will help adolescents manage

with mental illnesses if they experience them. There are many people that believe mental

illnesses are glaringly obvious and easily identifiable. The issue is that not everyone is

knowledgeable about mental illnesses, and some people are intimidated to share they may be

suffering from a mental illness and do not want to seek help (Stankovska). Being vulnerable is

very frightening to people. They think that reaching out for help is a weakness. This results in

many adolescents keeping everything bottled up. They continue to suffer mentally day by day

because they don’t want to be judged for getting help. Adolescents will be more willing to reach

out for help if they learn the major effects of mental illnesses and what resources are available to

them.

The mental stability of adolescents is fragile. There are a large number of adolescents

who are suffering from mental illnesses. There are more cases of severe stress, anxiety, and

depression in today’s society than ever before. Each one of these mental illnesses affects

adolescents in various ways. The best way to ensure adolescents understand their illnesses and

how to care for them is by raising awareness. An increase in mental health awareness will help
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adolescents to see that they are not in this fight alone. There are many other young adults and

teens that are going through the same thing they are. More awareness will also help adolescents

to see the importance of physical activity and focus on things that bring them joy in their lives. .

Although these mental illnesses can be very frightening, there are many resources to help cope

with these illnesses. An increase in awareness will help adolescents learn how to deal with stress,

anxiety, and depression in their lives.

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Works Cited

Cole, Eric. Personal interview. 5 March. 2021.

“Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 June 2020,

www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html. Accessed 29 March 2021

Higuera, Valencia. “Everything You Want to Know About Depression.” Healthline, Healthline

Media, 11 Feb. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/depression.

“How Stress Affects Your Body and Behavior.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical

Education and Research, 4 Apr. 2019,

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-2

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e%2C%20obesity%20and%20diabetes.

Ijaz, Mahlab, and Rubina Zakir. “Mental Health Issues of Adolescents after Parents Divorce.”

Ophthalmology Update, vol. 18, no. 4, Oct. 2020, pp. 40–45. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=146921866&site=eds-live.

McDonald, Kerry. "Improving College Students' Mental Health." Gale Opposing Viewpoints

Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/PWNYTL761858587/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=cf5e

c08e. Accessed 8 Mar. 2021. Originally published as "Why so Many College Students

Are In Mental Distress—And What Parents Can Do about It," Foundation for Economic

Freedom, 13 Sept. 2019.

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Smith, Melinda. “Anxiety Disorders and Anxiety Attacks.” HelpGuide.org,

www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/anxiety-disorders-and-anxiety-attacks.htm#:~:text=A

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Stankovska, Gordana, and Imran Memedi. “Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Patients with

Cardiovascular Diseases.” Acta Medica Balkanica: International Journal of Medical

Sciences, vol. 5, no. 9/10, Jan. 2020, pp. 46–52. EBSCOhost,

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“What Is Mental Health?” What Is Mental Health? | MentalHealth.gov,

www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health.

Yaman, Sözbir, Şengül, et al. “Effect of Chewing Gum on Stress, Anxiety, Depression,

Self‐focused Attention, and Academic Success: A Randomized Controlled Study.” Stress

& Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, vol. 35, no.

4, Oct. 2019, pp. 441–446. EBSCOhost,

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Zsamboky, Marci, et al. “Treating Child and Adolescent Depression and Anxiety in Primary

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EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.08.019.