By: LAUREN LANDIN
Staff Writer
Adolescents today are widely known for many things: Being lazy, ungrateful, spoiled, fragile, whiny, addicted to social media, and more. However, one trait, in particular, stands out. Teens today are known for being the most mentally ill generation. The rates of depression in teenagers have dramatically increased in the past twenty-five year, as well as anxiety rank consistently higher than any other age group, and such mental illnesses have often led to dire consequences. Studies show every one hundred minutes, a teen takes their life. Self-harm often starts at ages thirteen to fifteen, and can even occur as early as seven years old. In fact, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people ages fifteen to twenty-four. So exactly why are teens highly depressed and have anxiety? Researchers have come to the conclusion that high levels of stress and the need for perfection as well as media influences have placed teens at risk for mental illnesses. The education system is increasingly ruining students’ mental health and costing the lives of teens.