We need new solutions to the crisis in youth mental health

Teens are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis and need different approaches to their care, a Chicago health care professional writes. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

Over the last few years, mental health professionals have made it clear: Young people are in crisis. Depression and anxiety in teenagers are on the rise, and young people are facing challenges that previous generations haven’t experienced.

Now, a new report from the U.S. Surgeon General confirms the severity of the issue and shows that increased social media use is only exacerbating it. According to the 2023 Social Media and Youth Mental Health Advisory, algorithms, push notifications, the need for “likes,” and more are contributing to an unprecedented mental health crisis among young people that the report deems the “defining public health issue of our time.”