Doctors and mental health experts have turned to books and novels to help teenagers have better mental health. The Reading Well for Young People campaign was created by the Reading Agency, and is aimed to young people who are 13 to 18 years old.
The recommended reading list tackles mental health problems that teenagers frequently face as they grow older, including depression, eating disorders, sex, self-harm and low self-esteem, the Guardian listed. Some of the books doctors suggested for teens are Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," Benjamin Zephaniah's "Face" and Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
Gaby Clement, who helped assemble the recommended list of books, said fictional novels help teenagers to empathize. As young people relate their personal experiences to the fictional characters' struggles in the books, teenagers can unconsciously catch pieces of advice without the condescension that they normally get from others.
Rise of Mental Health Problems
Ten to 13 percent of teenagers aged 15 to 16 inflict harm to themselves, according to the Reading Agency. Despite their issues, teenagers reportedly shy away from seeking help from mental health experts.
Social media, bullying and stress from school and their own families contribute to teenagers' poor mental health. Young Minds, a charitable organization in the U.K., found that around 850,000 children with ages five to 16 in the country have mental health problems. According to the study, body image, early sexual pressure and the materialist culture have all significantly affected teenagers' mental health.
Other Remedies
To help combat the problem, a group of researchers in the U.K. from the University of Liverpool used a social technique that provokes positive emotions through a person's pleasant memories. The technique, called social broad-minded affective coping, or BMAC, elicited positive feelings from participants and helped lessen the negativity they are experiencing, the Economic Times reported.
In Australia, an e-mental health company made an app that mixes teenagers' love for video games and the more pressing need to curb their mental health predicaments. The app ReachOut Orb engages teenagers into a vibrant and cheerful place corrupted by a villain called the Glitch, who has transformed the interactive world into a desolate domain, the Sydney Morning Herald wrote.
ReachOut asked for teenagers' help in creating the app. The company also rolled out a bunch of e-mental health programs like Breathe and Recharge, which helps young men have better sleeping conditions.
You can download the app on iTunes. It is also available for download on ReachOut Orb's official website.
