Teenagers today have it harder than 10 years ago. We are being given so much pressure by adults and sometimes even ourselves. Ever since we were little, we’ve been told that school is our only job and that it is nothing compared to the real adult world. But on the contrary, I think that teenagers have enough worries and problems without being in that “real world.” These problems are anxiety, stress, and unreachable expectations to meet.

Many teenagers have their own battles to fight whether It’s family problems at home or emotional instability. Teenagers all over the world are being affected by the demands that they are expected to accomplish. Without a doubt, society has driven teenagers to the brink; and, I don’t know how much longer they can take.

This is not just an opinion but a proven fact. According to research from Mental Health America, 16% of US teens had at least one major depressive episode in 2022. In addition, 11.5 percent of US youth experienced severe depression. Not only do teens have depression but also anxiety. Research from the national institute of mental health have reported that 31.9% of teens have some type of anxiety disorder. Depression and anxiety can cause teenagers to start bad habits like self harm or even suicidal thoughts.

Some may argue that the amount of stress teenagers are facing depends on them, but that is not the case. A lot of stress that leads to depression and anxiety is rooted mainly in school. The amount of work that teenagers are being given daily has become too much. Not only that, but some people forget that teenagers have lives outside of school with responsibilities that don’t involve school. Eventually all that stress is going to pile up to the point where teenagers can’t handle it anymore. A person can only do so much.

The point of bringing up this topic is to give other people awareness of what teenagers are facing. For example overwhelming work loads, struggle with building identity, or issues at home with family. We are not getting the credit we deserve. People have to give teenagers more support and not expect so much from us.