With its inception in just 2020, World Teen Mental Wellness Day provided a new focus on the age-old challenge of attaining and maintaining mental wellness during adolescence.
On March 2, around the globe, in schools, community centers, and on social media, activities took place to raise awareness, open conversation, share self-care strategies, and offer support for teenagers struggling with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress. The day of recognition reminded us of the importance of youth mental health in laying the foundation for a satisfying life into adulthood.
What is mental health
Mental health is crucial to our overall sense of wellness and encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social functioning. The state of an individual’s mental health is reflected through both their inner – how we think, feel, manage stress, and make choices – and outer self – how we act and relate to others. It’s important to view mental health or mental wellness on a continuum. Our degree of mental wellness can impact our functioning without meeting a diagnosis of illness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), retrospective studies show that half of all mental health conditions present in adulthood started by age 14. Most cases were undetected and untreated for many years. Symptoms of anxiety or depression that do not rise to a diagnosis at the onset can still impact functioning and opportunities to achieve, and if left unattended, can escalate into more serious conditions down the road.
What our kids are telling us about their mental wellness
MGMT Digital reported that, based on their 2025 surveys of high school students, nearly 40% reported persistent sadness or hopelessness. 19.2% of teens screened positive for depression. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2025 that 31.9% of teenagers struggle with anxiety. Michigan mirrors national concerns about adolescent mental health. Michigan’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Michigan.gov) demonstrated that 36-37% of Michigan high school students report depressive feelings.
What’s influencing our teens’ mental wellness
While many talk about mental wellness being multifactorial and attribute rising numbers of teens with mental health issues to various influences, such as biology, family dynamics, academic pressures, and heightened political divisions, the immersion of today’s teens into social media platforms is the most profound change in daily life. It has changed the way teens interact with each other and the world. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 95% of teens ages 13–17 have smartphones and 96% are on the internet daily.
The impact of social media on adolescent mental health, both positive and negative, is complex and has garnered significant attention from researchers, educators, and policymakers alike. While for some teens, online platforms offer protective benefits against loneliness and depression (Vaingankar et al. 2022). For many others, as reported by PEW Research Center, social media can pose a major threat to teenagers’ mental health. In Pew’s latest survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, 48% say social media sites have a mostly negative effect on people their age. Teen girls are more likely than boys to say social media hurts their mental health (25% vs. 14%), confidence (20% vs. 10%), or sleep (50% vs. 40%).
According to a report in Yale Medicine, “frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing (adolescent) brain.” A research study of teens ages 12-15 found that those who used social media over three hours each day faced twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes.
How can parents help their teens in a world inundated with social media
Talk with your teens about their social media use, focus on your concern for their health and on practicing healthy habits. Educate them. Cite studies. Express concern as your motivation.
Educate yourself on the differences between the impact of active vs. passive social media use. Research shows that while messaging friends generally has a neutral or positive impact, passive scrolling of non-specific content offers more opportunities for social comparisons and other negative influences. Engage your teens in constructive conversation around social media use. Help them develop insights into how they feel when watching various content. Point out the difference between a curated reality to capture attention and real life.
Observe your teen’s use patterns. Research from the Mayo Clinic advises up to 2 hours of recreational screen time for teens 13-15 and 3 hours or less for 16–18-year-olds. Using hardware-built-in screen-time tools to avoid constant monitoring and confrontation. Manage use by setting boundaries, such as no phones or iPads during meals. Teens coping with existing mental health conditions are more susceptible to negative influences and may need additional limit-setting.
Nighttime engagement with electronics can be particularly detrimental. Sleep is of critical importance to mental health at all ages. Insufficient sleep in teenagers is strongly linked to a higher risk of depression (NIH). Stop screen time an hour before bed. Set up charging areas outside of your teens’ bedroom. Teens respond better to limits than bans. Practicing what you preach will go a long way towards limiting conflicts between you and your teens and influencing change.
If your teens are demonstrating symptoms of depression or anxiety, such as sleep impairments, appetite change, social withdrawal, preoccupations, or excessive worry that persist longer than 2 weeks, seek out professional help. Keep the dialogue open with your teen. Ask questions. Stay involved. You are not being intrusive; you are parenting.
Carol Zuniga, MS, CEO of Hegira Health, Inc., has nearly 40 years’ experience in the behavioral healthcare industry. A Limited Licensed Psychologist in Michigan for 35 years, she was recognized in 2020 by Crain’s Detroit as a Leading Woman in Healthcare. Hegira Health, Inc., a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services with clinic locations in Western Wayne and the Downriver communities, including Hegira Health Behavioral Urgent Care, providing walk-in behavioral urgent care services to children (ages 6 and up) and adults, seven days per week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Carol Zuniga
