📉 America’s Youth Are Struggling — Here’s What the MAHA Report Reveals About Mental Health

AJ Garboski
21 hours ago
2 min read

A recent government report, “Making Our Children Healthy Again” from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, paints a stark picture: America’s youth are in the midst of a mental health emergency.

And the numbers are heartbreaking.

😔 Mental Health by the Numbers

1 in 4 teen girls experienced major depression in 2022.
Teen depression rates have nearly doubled since 2009.
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for teens aged 15–19.
3 million high schoolers seriously considered suicide last year.
Over 57% of girls report deep sadness and hopelessness.

This isn’t just a crisis—it’s a call to action.

💻 Technology, Trauma, and Toxicity: What’s Driving the Crisis?

The MAHA report identifies a few major contributors:

Screen Overload

Teens average 9+ hours of screen time daily, much of it social media.

The result? A double risk of anxiety and depression—especially for girls.

Sleep Deprivation

80% of teens aren’t getting enough rest. Sleep is crucial for mood regulation, memory, and healing.

Social Isolation

In 2024, 73% of young people reported feeling lonely.

Among young men, 15% had no close friends—a fivefold increase since 1990.

Poor Diet & Chronic Stress

Our kids are eating more ultra-processed foods than ever, leading to nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, and unstable moods.

💊 Overprescribed, Undersupported

Mental illness is real—and sometimes medication is necessary. But we must ask:

Are we prescribing too much, too quickly?

Antidepressant use in teens is up 1,400% since the late ‘80s.
Antipsychotic prescriptions for kids rose 800%—mostly for off-label uses.

Medication without holistic support is like patching a leak without turning off the faucet.

🛠 What Can We Do?

At Team Garbo, we believe in whole-person healing—body, mind, and spirit. Based on the MAHA findings, here are some steps forward:

✅ Encourage Healthy Habits

Promote daily movement and screen-free play.
Prioritize nutrient-dense meals over ultra-processed foods.
Reinforce consistent sleep routines.

❤️ Normalize Mental Health Support

Create safe spaces to talk about emotions.
Advocate for therapy and peer support as first-line resources.
Reduce stigma around asking for help.

🌱 Advocate for Systemic Change

The MAHA report confirms what many of us already know: the system is broken. We need leadership, legislation, and community-driven movements to put our kids’ health first.

✨ Final Word: Hope Starts With Awareness

The next generation is watching us. They don’t just need us to fix the system—they need us to fight for them.

Let’s give our kids more than medicine and diagnoses. Let’s give them hope, tools, and truth.🌿