Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: IntroductionMental illness often manifests for the first time during adolescence.1 This not only leads to disruptions in education, familial relations, and social development, but it also frequently results in violence against others or, far more often, suicide. 2 Though it affects all demographics differently, suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents aged 10-14 and the second leading cause of death for adolescents aged 15-19.3 Between 500,000-1 million young people aged 15-24 attempt suicide each year.4 Overall, 17.6% of all deaths in the US of individuals aged 10-24 were a result of suicide.5 These numbers display a harsh and often disregarded reality that under the current state of the mental health care system in the US, young people are killing themselves every year at an alarming rate.The field of mental health care has made significant developments and improvements in the care provided to individuals struggling with mental illness and other psychological conditions.Overall, access to mental health care has broadened and the treatments that are available today are more effective than ever before.6 However, for many vulnerable sectors of the American population, quality mental health care is often inaccessible due to both the unequal distribution of 1 Tomás Paus, et al., Why Do Many Psychiatric Disorders Emerge During Adolescence?. 9(12) NATURE REVIEWS.NEUROSCIENCE.947-57 (2008).2 How Mental Health Disorders Effect Youth, YOUTH.GOV -MENTAL HEALTH, https://youth.gov/youth-topics/youth-mental-health/how-mental-health-disorders-affect-youth. 3 Melonie Heron, Ph.D., Deaths: Leading Causes for 2015.
Author: Connor Breza
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2954261130