Recently, research suggests that the mental state of young Americans is deteriorating. This is becoming more and more common as the environment around adolescents is filled with stress from the increasingly competitive world around them. What leads to mental illnesses, like depression and anxiety, cannot be reduced to a single cause, but rather a multitude of probable causes that are still being studied. They range from the obvious, like stress from school and technology, to whether or not you're a full-term baby. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Simply researching one of the most well-known causes of adolescent mental problems, in school and in the resulting environment, throws readers into a whirlwind of first-time stories from those who experienced them. One of the many stories that included a victim's account was an article in The Atlantic by Lucy Dwyer, a St. Louis writer, “Salli-Ann Holloway Couldn't Breathe. Sitting in her Advanced Placement English class, she couldn't stop shaking… Her body went numb.” This implies that the stress of his Advanced Placement course had finally reached its breaking point, causing a physical reaction known as a panic attack. An untreated (or undiagnosed) mental disorder could have more serious consequences than just behavior; it could also impair a person's physical health. Additionally, it's not just simple high school or college classes that affect teens, participation in extracurricular activities like sports, music classes, and college classes should also be taken into consideration. For those who are not academically gifted, sports and the arts would put just as much pressure on them as they rely solely on their talents to provide them with a secure future. One of the communities in society that suffers more than any other. mental health problems would be the LGBT community. Due to discrimination against those who identify as LGBT in places like middle and high schools, students' academic potential is hindered and their mentality becomes the breeding ground for depression. An article that fully covers the effect a person's sexual orientation can have on mental problems is "Sexual Orientation and Depression: Statistics and Where to Get Help." Author Michael Kerr explained how a hostile environment can be toxic for those involved: “LGBT students who experience victimization and discrimination typically have lower grades and do not perform as well academically” . If minor distractions can already lead to poor academic performance, put yourself in the shoes of those who also face discrimination based on their sexuality. Given that there is so much negativity around these young people, it's not hard to imagine why they have a higher risk of mental illness than those who are not LGBT. Although this may seem minor compared to the last cause, an often overlooked stressor that could negatively impact mental health. making an impact on America's youth means finding a job to help your family through tough times or to be financially independent. This cause of depression and anxiety is also linked to those mentioned previously since the student would not only attend school but also sacrifice their homework time for their work shifts. This suggests thatteachers and other authoritative figures in an educational setting should be willing to work with their students in a way that they can feel supported. The Mental Health Association of America (MHA) reveals that more than half of all college students are employed. So, with the worry of paying for their studies and passing their courses, we must be aware of the stress that harms mental health. Since this article specifically states that it focuses on American youth, it is crucial to recognize that the generations referred to as "youth" have grown up surrounded by ever-changing technology. San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge explains in “As Adolescent Mental Health Worries Over Five Years, There's a Likely Culprit” How Screen Time Can Affect Mental Illness or vice versa. In doing so, she presents the idea that “not only did smartphone use and depression increase in tandem, but that time spent online was linked to mental health issues.” This shows that the more time spent on a phone surfing the web, the greater the risk of mental illness among today's youth. Twenge points out that because of our greater interest in what's happening on the screens around us, we interact less with others, causing a feeling of isolation that can be one of the symptoms of many mental problems. The increasing use of technology inevitably comes with the abuse of available social media to harm oneself. Cyberbullying has seen an increase over the past decade due to the popularization of social media among younger generations. As a result, as social media has become more widespread, so has the “trend” of cyberbullying. Summary of an article titled “Cyberbullying and depression go hand in hand, new study finds,” published by the reputable Huffington Post, as new research emerges depression and cyberbullying are found to be linked. If left unresolved, like any other harassment, it can lead to mental disorders such as anxiety when the victim's phone rings with a notification and even depression due to the nastiness of the harassers' sarcastic comments. A more shocking aspect of this form of harassment is that perpetrators are often victims of their own harassment, whether online or in person, seeking to take out their frustrations on another person. When the victims' depression goes unnoticed, some of these teenagers are then apparently driven to the point of committing suicide. There are more negative aspects, than just cyberbullying, on social media that lead to a worsening of the mental state of minors. The more a person is on social media, the more they can start to feel bad about themselves and those who use it the most tend to have more. anxiety, as highlighted in the article “It’s Complicated: Teens, Social Media, and Mental Health.” Anxiety can come from the presentation of a “perfect life” lived by many influencers on sites like Instagram. Even though viewers know that the person isn't actually having an adventure every day in exotic places, there is still the subconscious thought of "why can't I or why isn't my life like this." For some, naivety can arise after looking at too many “perfect” messages. As they become adults, one of the other reasons given for why anxiety sets in is that life is not always as “perfect” as it can be portrayed. The use of social media should not.