Utah: More teen mental illness; cause may be greater awareness/less stigma

Nov 1, 2018, ABC4, Salt Lake City: New report shows Utah teen mental health issues are on the rise https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/new-report-shows-utah-teen-mental-health-issues-are-on-the-rise/1567730227 Teen mental health issues are on the rise, according to a new report released by the Utah Department of Health. The report, released at the beginning of October, is comprised of data from School Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) surveys conducted every odd-numbered year in public schools throughout the state. With parental consent, students ranging from 6th to 12th grade are asked about chronic conditions, lifestyles, mental health, substance abuse, violence, and injury. … So the big question is...what's causing this increase? Dr. Christy Kane, who is a licensed clinical mental health counselor said there's no definite answer. But there's a couple contributing factors. "One, access. We are much better now talking about mental health and taking away the stigma that comes with mental health than we've ever been before," said Dr. Kane. "I think our kids are more aware of services than generations in the past and they're realizing that to walk into a mental health counseling office is not something they should be ashamed of." The other reason, she said, is because of an increased use in electronics and digital devices. Dr. Kane explained that adolescents are not getting as much neurotransmitter oxytocin as past generations from physical contact. "If you look at research from the Center of Disease Control, it indicates that our young people today spend less time in the normal contacting process than of generations in the past and they spent more time isolated and on electronic screens," said Dr. Kane….