The mental health of high school students, particularly teenage girls and LGBQ+ youth, worsened from 2011 to 2021. This comes from a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, which found that nearly 70% of LGBQ+ high school students in 2021 had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. More than 50% reported poor mental health during the past 30 days. These numbers are far worse compared to their heterosexual peers (22% of whom reported experiencing poor mental health during the same period).
The report also says creating a safe, inclusive learning environment is essential to improving the well-being of LGBQ+ youth. Let's dig into the numbers to learn more about mental health trends.
