Mental Health in Teens: 10 Risk & Protective Factors

31.9% of adolescents have anxiety-related disorders (ADAA, n.d.).
According to Solmi et al. (2022), the age at which mental health disorders most commonly begin to manifest worldwide is 14.
Why is mental health in teens so fragile? Are there known risks we can identify early to protect against them? Who is at the highest risk, and why? What skills can we build in teenagers to protect their mental health as they grow up?
To answer these questions, we look at our biology and behavior and how these are inextricably linked by our experiences. To protect and support mental health in teens, we need to think developmentally, know about the brain, and pay attention to experience.
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