What you should know about COVID-19 teen mental health crisis
The pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on the mental health of children and teens, sparking what many experts now call a teen mental health crisis.
We know that continued physical and social isolation is impacting all of us, but recent studies show that socialization is especially important to young people and the pandemic is taking a disproportionate mental health toll on children and teens.
While our teenagers and children have largely been spared from the physical health consequences of COVID-19, recent data reveals the psychological and emotional impact that the pandemic has had on young people in our community is significant.
As many schools across the nation opted for virtual learning across 2020, social activities for children and teens came to a screeching halt. Milestone experiences—like sports, afterschool clubs, school dances, and sleepovers—vanished overnight. These disruptions stripped away essential outlets for connection, growth, and emotional regulation.
The result: sharp increases in psychological conditions among youth, including major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, self-harm, substance abuse, overdoses, OCD, ADHD, and tic disorders.
According to FAIR Health, mental health claims among individuals aged 13-18 nearly doubled in 2020 compared to 2019. Anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorders emerged as the three most common conditions affecting 13- to 22-year-olds, with rates skyrocketing in the spring of 2020. Claims increased by 80% to 90% year-over-year among 13- to 18-year-olds and by 45% to 65% for the 19–22 age group.
This analysis came from FAIR Health’s database of more than 32 billion claims records from private health insurers. Above-and-beyond the scientific research, appointments for mental health sessions for teens at The Women’s Center has skyrocketed.
The increase in social isolation, financial instability, and infection-related fears—combined with the everyday struggles of teenage life—has created a perfect storm for mental health challenges. Adolescents are navigating a world that feels increasingly uncertain, and many lack the tools or support systems to cope.
For over 45 years, The Women’s Center has been a trusted resource for mental health services in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. In 2020 alone, we provided over 2,400 affordable counseling sessions to more than 250 adolescents, with over 75% of clients reporting improved mental health outcomes. Yet we know these numbers only scratch the surface of the need in our community.
To meet this growing demand, The Women’s Center recently launched our Teen Resiliency Program, an ambitious expansion of our adolescent services.
CEO and Executive Director Rachna Singal Krishnan described The Center’s goals for this new program, “Our vision is to be able to hire a dedicated therapist and program coordinator. The role of the therapist is easy to understand, but to have a program coordinator who can work with parents and pediatricians in the community to ensure that teenagers at risk receive early intervention and the holistic support they need is critical to really addressing adolescent mental health challenges.”
This program is made possible through the generosity of funders like Fran Craig, founder of Unanet, whose support is helping us address the teen mental health crisis.
If this post resonates with you, we invite you to explore individual and family counseling for all ages and additional services provided by The Women’s Center. The teen mental health crisis is real—but with community support, early intervention, and compassionate care, we can help our youth heal and thrive.
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