By , , and Jessica Bester Reading time: 3 min Overall levels of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide continue to rise among US youth. In 2021, more than 40% of students surveyed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless—and more than 20% said that they seriously considered suicide. The roots of this crisis existed before COVID-19, but the pandemic dramatically accelerated the decline in youth mental health.
