HANOVER, N.H. (WCAX) – A health care summit underway at Dartmouth College has brought together some of the country’s most prominent physicians to focus on the growing crisis of youth mental health.
In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, six former U.S. surgeons general who served under Presidents H.W. Bush to Joe Biden addressed mental health among kids with some startling statistics.
“One out of five have thought about suicide. Sixteen percent have made a plan. And 9% have accomplished it,” said former Surgeon General Dr. Antonia Novello.
Each was asked what is contributing to the growing crisis among kids. Common themes include not enough sleep, loneliness, the increasing potency of cannabis use, and ever-present social media.
“And I didn’t bring that TV to bed with me, the gym with me, to school with me. It didn’t buzz with new headlines that were designed to stoke anxiety and fear,” said former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
The group was also asked what could be done about it. Building relationships and community were at the top of the list.
“We do a lot of talking at them, but sometimes we don’t communicate with them,” said former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders.
Dartmouth College President Sian Beilock has made mental wellness a priority since arriving on campus in 2023 with her Commitment to Care initiative. The experts say breaking down stigmas continues to be a challenge.
“How can we focus more on mental health and wellness and not just mental illness and diagnosis,” said former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams.
Kit Payson, a junior at Thetford Academy, sat in on the panel discussion with some classmates. “Every day I hear about awful news and my dad talking about what’s going wrong with the world,” Payson said. “How cannabis affects the brain and screen time.”
The three-day symposium continues Tuesday with a keynote address entitled “What Makes a Satisfying Life?”
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