The New York Times published an article on teen mental health titled, “It’s Life or Death: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens.” Does that seem a little melodramatic? Not according to the Surgeon General of the United States, who issued an advisory warning on mental health among teens. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association issued a joint statement declaring teen mental health “a national emergency.”

In a recent study, more than four out of ten high school students reported feelings of hopelessness and sadness. That number soared to almost sixty percent among female students and seventy percent among LGBTQ+ students. In 2021, about 1 out of 8 female students and 1 out of 5 LGBTQ+ students reportedly attempted suicide.

According to Matt Richtel, a reporter for the New York Times, major depressive episodes have risen 60 percent since 2007. The suicide rate, which had been stable for most of the previous decade, jumped by 60 percent from 2007 to 2018. The number of teens admitted to hospitals for mental health issues rose by 8.4 percent in just eleven months, beginning in March of 2021.

The CDC believes other factors besides the pandemic contribute to the teen mental health crisis. For example, they suggest that unstable housing conditions contribute to hopelessness. Sexual orientation and gender identity also play a role.

Another factor, according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, is the use of social media. The Health and Human Services advisory on teen mental health states, “We cannot conclude that social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents.” A 2019 study concluded that it is not, finding that teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media “faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

That is cause for concern since a recent survey found that the average student in grades eight and 10 spends more than three hours a day on social media platforms. According to Health Matters, high levels of social media use over four years are associated with increased depression rates. The average age at which an American child opens a social media account is twelve-a-half-years.

What can be done? The Surgeon General advises teens to build strong relationships with peers and supportive adults, practice emotion management techniques, and limit social media and technology use. Adults are encouraged to create safe and affirming educational environments, improve access to mental health services, and provide positive role models.

While the Surgeon General’s work in this area should be applauded, does anyone think his suggestions will be followed? How many students will think, “I should follow the Surgeon General’s advice and find a supportive adult with whom I can build a relationship”? How likely is Congress to adequately budget for mental health care or limit access to social media by minors?

If real change is going to happen, this national emergency will require local action. Individuals and individual families must change their praxis. Parents must decide while their children are still young, or before they are born, to delay access to smartphones and social media. That will be hard for parents and children in this social climate, but it must be done.

The rest of us must do our part too. When I was a awkward high school senior – as opposed to the awkward adult I became – an older man, he must have been at least 35, spoke a few words to me that encouraged and sustained me. I remember it still with gratitude.

We were at a social gathering. During an awkward silence – everyone was waiting for someone to say something – I spoke up, and the tension eased. Afterward, he stood beside me and said quietly, “You did well.” He added that in the future, God would use me for good. Those simple words bolstered me.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” So much social media exercises the power of death. We have at least a little of the power of life. We must put it to use.