Opinion: The angst of being a teen girl

As COVID was, angst is. At least that’s true among teenaged girls. Writing for the Associated Press, Lindsey Tanner and Angie Wang state, “Study after study says American youth are in crisis, facing unprecedented mental health challenges that are burdening teen girls in particular.” In effect, we are dealing with a new type of pandemic.

Rates of anxiety and depression are up for boys, too, but only half as much as for girls. However, Tanner and Wang point out that boys need to maintain a “macho” façade and are much less likely to express their true feelings.

Alienation

Every two years, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does a survey of physical and mental health among high school students. This year’s survey showed that three of every five teen girls reported having “persistent sadness and hopelessness.” USA TODAY reports that the rate is up from 36 percent in 2011, and it’s double the rate for boys (29 percent).