Teen Girls' Mental Health

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act in order to face life's situations. It is how we look at ourselves, our lives, and the people we know and care about. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, evaluate our options, and make choices. Everyone has mental health. But, today I am going to focus on the mental health of teens especially for teen girls. Did you know that;

• Girls are three times more likely than boys to have a negative body image. Such cases are often reflected in eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.
• Girls are seven times more likely than boys to get depressed and is twice likely to attempt suicide.
• In Malaysia, out of the 50 teenagers who starts smoking every day, 10 of them are girls.
• During teenage years, girls are more likely to try risky behaviours including drinking, smoking, using drugs and exploring their sexuality unhealthily.
  
• Girls who develop positive interpersonal and social skills decrease their risk of substance abuse.
• Girls who have an interest and ability in areas such as sports, arts, academics and involve in community activities are more likely to develop confidence and may be less likely to use drugs.
  

Mental health is paving the way to enhance girls' mental wellness by helping them to build self confidence. Mental health is important at every stage of life as relationships and physical health are all affected by it. Therefore, caring and protecting a child's mental health is a major part of helping that child grow to become the best she can be.

Girls' independence is usually encouraged in childhood and their strengths are nurtured. Most girls become emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy young adults. But sometimes, during the transition from childhood to adolescence, extra care is necessary, so that a girl's self-esteem and coping skills are not diminished.