American Girl: Startling Trends and Suicide in Teen Girls
By Shivana Naidoo, MD
Tom Petty’s famous song American Girl has become a staple American rock song. Urban legend says this song was inspired by a girl who attempted suicide.
Recently, the song’s lyrics have rung true for too many American girls. The Youth Risk Behaviors Surveillance System (YRBSS) data from 2021, published in the spring of 2023, demonstrate some startling trends for our teenage girls:
57% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
41% of female youth reported experiencing poor mental health in the past month
30% of females seriously considered attempting suicide, an increase of 11% since 2011
Also concerning is that for the first time since YBRSS has been gathering data, more females than males have endorsed using substances. This has been the case across all substances included in the survey – alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, opiates.
Explaining the Shift
Social Media Exposure
There are many plausible explanations for this shift. The first is social media exposure. Research has shown the way girls use social media is very different than boys, and that girls experience far more social pressures than boys. About 40% of girls ages 15-17 choose not to post or share something because they worry people may use it to embarrass them.
Earlier Onset Puberty
Social media aside, the earlier onset of puberty in girls (a trend that is occurring across countries) has been linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, substances use and bullying. Girls’ bodies are maturing earlier, but what about their minds?
The discrepancy between social, emotional and developmental maturity is often seen as an underlying cause for anxiety and depressive mood in young people. In the US and globally, we force girls to grow up at a faster rate than ever before. To support mental health, we need to take the time to help them build healthy self-esteem, good habits for reflection, and the motivation to aspire towards greatness.
Encouraging a Healthy Sense of Self
Here at Bradley REACH, our team members encourage the development of a healthy sense of self in the context of their developmental stage. For all adolescents, it is ok to take some time to still be a child. We need to remind young people they still have time to make mistakes and test the waters of life before fully growing up. This can be a major factor in helping to build resilience and self-confidence.
Let’s help every American girl out there see that there is much more to life right here.
DISCLAIMER:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
If you or your child are in crisis or experiencing mental health problems please seek the advice of a licensed clinician or call 988 or Kids Link in Rhode Island.
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