Teen Books for Mental Health Awareness Month

A recent study from the CDC found that 37.1% of teenage students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, often due to issues such as “school closures, social isolation, family economic hardship, family loss or illness, and reduced access to health care.” However, the report also found that “poor mental health, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were less prevalent among those who felt close to persons at school and were virtually connected with others during the pandemic.”

The recommendations below discuss issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, disordered eating, grief, personality disorders, and suicide and suicidal ideation. Please explore safely. Check out helplines and online resources below: 

• National Alliance on Mental Illness: Visit https://nami.org/help or call 1-800-950-NAMI
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or call 800-273-8255 
• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/ or text “HOME” to 741741
• National Eating Disorders Association: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline or call or text 800-931-2237
• Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ or call 212-695-8650
• SC-Hopes: call 844-724-6737 

Citation: Jones SE, Ethier KA, Hertz M, et al. Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021. MMWR Suppl 2022;71(Suppl-3):16–21. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7103a3external icon.