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We delve into the pressing issue of teenage mental health with undergraduate student Ruhi Saldanha. From discussing the need for mental health days in schools to addressing the challenges faced by today’s teenagers, we explore the importance of mental health support in promoting well-being. Ruhi shares her personal experiences and insights, shedding light on the impact of academic pressure and social media on mental health. Join us as we advocate for legislative action and early intervention to tackle the mental health crisis among youth.

Ruhi Saldanha is an undergraduate student.

She discusses the KevinMD article, “A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools.”

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast, and get CME for this episode by clicking on the CME link in the show notes. Today we welcome Ruhi Saldanha. She’s an undergraduate student. Today’s KevinMD article is “A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools.” Ruhi, welcome to the show.

Ruhi Saldanha: Thank you.

Kevin Pho: I actually don’t talk to a lot of undergraduate premedical students on this podcast. So you wrote about the pressing need for mental health days in school. Tell us what led you to write this article.

Ruhi Saldanha: So my senior year of high school I did an internship under Dr. Kenneth Mandl at Harvard, looking at some teenage mental health statistics and things like that, and that exposed me to the fact that there’s not really enough focus on adolescent mental health. And it is a big problem in the United States, because there are rising rates.

In my article I talked about how Illinois itself has five legally instituted mental health days for their students, built into the education system. And that’s only one out of 12 states in the United States that have this, which is only 24 percent of the United States. And that is a big issue, because mental health is important, and having that focus on it is what led me to write the article.

Kevin Pho: All right, so tell me from your perspective, you’re a freshman in college, what would you say are some of the root causes that are causing such a mental health crisis in teens?

Ruhi Saldanha: Yeah, I think that there’s a lot of pressure, especially for high school students, with dropping college admission rates, and also the societal pressure that comes with being a teenager.

And even in college it’s kind of difficult, because it’s a big adjustment being away from home, or however students are, even if you’re not living at college. It is a big adjustment, and I think that all of that contributes to the mental health issues that students may have.

Kevin Pho: So during your last year of high school and your first year of college, what kind of resources were available to you in case you needed to talk about mental health, or any behavioral health services that are available to teens?

Ruhi Saldanha: Yeah, I think I was very lucky in my high school that I did have social workers and counselors that I could go see. And UNCC, which is the school that I go to, has also instituted mental health days, so that is a very nice resource for students.

But I think a lot of kids across the country don’t have the same resources that I had, and that is a big problem. Having those social workers, counselors, focus on why mental health is important, and having those resources, is something that a lot of students don’t have.

Kevin Pho: So mental health of course is such a broad umbrella. In terms of the specific symptoms or conditions that teens are facing, what exactly are they?

Ruhi Saldanha: That’s a good question. I think you can kind of tell with a lack of motivation, and a drop in school work is a very big indicator of having some outside issues, which could include mental health and things like that. Not wanting to socialize, dropping performance in school, kind of erratic behaviors.

Because a lot of mental health issues, and I’ve seen this in myself, my peers, and stories from other kids across the United States, poor mental health can be a gateway to a lot of violence, drug use, substance abuse. In the United States every year over 100,000 kids die of substance abuse issues, or have used substances as a way to cope with a lack of mental health resources, which is a big contributor to why we need more mental health resources in schools.

Kevin Pho: So in terms of substance abuse among your peer groups, is that something that you’ve seen personally in your high school or college?

Ruhi Saldanha: Yes, I think both at the high school and college level I have seen a lot of issues with substance abuse in my fellow peers. And I think there definitely needs to be more awareness around the dangers with this, because especially as fentanyl rates and overdose rates rise in the United States, it is really dangerous for kids to be using these substances, and it definitely is prevalent across the United States.

Kevin Pho: What about things like medications for attention deficit, or stimulants? I read articles that teens are using these to help focus and help studies, even though they don’t have a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. Is that something that you’re seeing?

Ruhi Saldanha: Yes, definitely, especially in the college environment, since it is so fast paced and it requires students to be focused on what they do. A lot of students do feel the need to take medications that help attention deficit disorders, like Adderall for instance, which is very big on campuses. And honestly, it is a very big problem.

Kevin Pho: And again, is this something that you’re seeing personally among your peers?

Ruhi Saldanha: I have seen it among my peers, and I bet that across the United States it’s the same way.

Kevin Pho: So you mentioned in Illinois they have the availability of mental health days. Tell us exactly how that works.

Ruhi Saldanha: Students are allowed to take five mental health days whenever they need. So this is kind of like a no questions asked day off for students, to take a break from work, focus on family, other priorities. Which I think is great, because it lessens the feeling of being overwhelmed in school, and also, if they’re going through something outside, that eases their feelings a little bit, because it gives them time to themselves.

UNCC has four instituted mental health days, two per month, and that allows students to have that time to themselves. Many people go home, go see their family.

Kevin Pho: So do you see a lot of your peers take advantage of those mental health days?

Ruhi Saldanha: Yeah, definitely. I think that a lot of my peers and I both benefit, because it allows us, instead of having everything become very overwhelming, especially in the college environment which requires a lot of focus, having those sanctioned days off definitely helps.

And I live in Chicago, so I don’t really get to see my family a lot because I’m out of state for college, and being able to use those days to go home or FaceTime my parents, my friends, it’s so helpful.

Kevin Pho: So you’re a freshman in college, and my daughter is the same age, she’s also a freshman in college. So you just recently went through that whole college application process. Tell us how that whole process may also contribute to the teen mental health crisis.

Ruhi Saldanha: Yes, I think that college is a very big contributor, because those admission rates are dropping, and that can cause a lot of unnecessary stress on students. And also comparison. Comparison is a big factor all throughout college and high school, which can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, like, I’m not going to get into the college I want, and things like that.

Especially with the course load of senior year, which for most kids is a very heavy course load, because you’re balancing college admissions and school and also social aspects of being a teenager. I think that’s a big contributor, because there is a lot of pressure to get into a good school, a school that you like, and that can cause a lot of issues in students.

Kevin Pho: Where does that pressure come from? Does that pressure come from parents, does it come from peers, does it come from yourself? Where do you feel that pressure?

Ruhi Saldanha: Of course every student is different, and I don’t want to generalize too much, but I think that there are definitely a lot of different avenues where that pressure comes from, just like you mentioned, from parents, teachers, friends.

I think social media is also a very big contributor to this, because with apps like TikTok, Instagram, you’re seeing people apply to college, get into good schools, or get into the schools that they want, and there’s kind of a pressure that you want to fit in and you want to be like them and be happy in that sense.

And I think a big thing with college is that a lot of students view college admissions as determiners of their success as people and as students. I think that is a bit of a problem, because it causes a lot of unnecessary stress. So it can come from within the student as well.

Kevin Pho: So you mentioned how mental health days can help, but in terms of getting at the root problem, what other avenues would you suggest to help with the mental health crisis among teens?

Ruhi Saldanha: I know that I mentioned this previously, but definitely having those resources in the school environment is very important, like social workers, and more education on adolescent mental health, even to physicians.

Both physicians and the students and teachers can really help, because when students are aware of what they’re experiencing, and also when physicians, parents, teachers are aware of how they can help the student, I think that can create more of a connection between those to help solve mental health issues.

Kevin Pho: So one of the things that you mentioned earlier was that physicians need to be more aware, of course, of the mental health issues among teens. So tell us the questions that you would like us to ask you, to best help you cope with any behavioral health issues in the exam room.

Ruhi Saldanha: Yeah, I know that a lot of physicians have questionnaires, or pediatricians, before they see the children, they have questionnaires that they can fill out, like, have you had issues with eating in the past two weeks or few months, have you had times where you feel very, very sad, and how often is that? And I think that those are great questions for younger children.

I also think that it is very good if physicians would do this maybe without the parent in the room, because a lot of adolescents can feel very ostracized or something like that in their family. And I think physicians directly asking the teenager or younger child themselves, if they feel very sad often, how often, if they have problems with eating, which is a big indicator of underlying mental health issues, things like that, for them to become aware, and also for the child to become aware.

Kevin Pho: We’re talking to Ruhi Saldanha. She’s an undergraduate student. Today’s KevinMD article is “A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools.” Ruhi, we’ll end with some of your take-home messages that you’d like to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Ruhi Saldanha: Yeah, I would really like to emphasize that mental health is very important, especially in adolescents. Well, for everyone, but especially for adolescents. And there needs to be more resources, more education, to combat this issue, because it is a very big issue.

And I know that Dr. Vivek Murthy, who is the surgeon general, raised an alarm on rising adolescent mental health issues, and I think that this definitely is a very good start on making people aware around the country. So I just want to emphasize how important this issue is.

Kevin Pho: Ruhi, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing your perspective and insight.

Ruhi Saldanha: Thank you so much.