Adolescent mental health: causes and interventions

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 10–20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated (2014). Globally, depression is the fourth leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents aged 15-19 years and fifteenth for those aged 10-14 years. Anxiety is the ninth leading cause for adolescents aged 15-19 years and sixth for those aged 10-14 years. Emotional disorders can profoundly affect areas like schoolwork and school attendance. Social withdrawal can lead to isolation and loneliness. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Adolescents who undergo significant distress during this important transitional period such as those exposed to witness violence, physical assault by a family member, sexual assault, absentee parenting and experimentation with drugs and other substances of abuse are especially vulnerable and will lead to significant mental health challenges.
With Kenyan youth unemployment being at about 40% and with increased pressure for adolescents to perform in school and new media exposures, mental health for this cohort is bound to worsen as the socio-economic fabric of the society weakens. Poverty, gender inequity and human rights violations are shown to increase the incidence of mental health problems
Adolescence is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental Wellbeing. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; taking regular exercises; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are also important. Psychosocial services should be made available to adolescents. Youth counselors should be employed in primary schools to provide counselling services. School nurses should undertake training on youth and adolescent health in order to better meet their needs. Capacity for trained school teachers in child psychology and development should be build.
Kenyan youth would like to have the HELB loans at zero interest. Gambling and sports betting should be strictly regulated. The marketing of alcohol, cigarettes and substances should be strictly regulated. Youth should be involved in policy making and implementation so that they can have peer led interventions that are non-discriminatory and relevant to them. The Kenyan Ministry of youth affairs, sports and the arts can help the youth by promoting their hiring in state and non-state agencies for internship programmes for unemployed graduates.