World Teen Mental Wellness Day Date in the current year: March 2, 2024

Mental health issues in teens are often dismissed because “all teens are moody, they outgrow it eventually”. However, teen mental health problems should not be taken lightly because they hinder adolescent development, prevent young people from building positive communication, emotional and social skills, and increase the probability of mental health disorders later in life.

According to a 2021 World Health Organization report, half of mental health issues start by the time a child turns 14, and one in seven children and young people between the ages of 10 and 19 experiences a mental disorder. The leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents are anxiety, behavioral disorders, and depression.

Due to the stigma surrounding mental health conditions in general and teen mental health issues in particular, adolescents often refuse to seek help, and their mental health conditions remain unrecognized and untreated. Teenagers suffering from mental health challenges are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, educational difficulties, human rights violations, risky behaviors, and social exclusion. Untreated mental health disorders can lead to suicide, which is the 4th leading cause of death in adolescents aged 15 to 19.

This is why it is so important to raise awareness of the importance of teen mental wellness, help teenagers understand that it is okay to confide in adults they trust and seek help when they are struggling, and encourage adults to create a non-judgmental, safe space for teenagers and not to dismiss their struggles as “not that bad”, “silly” or as a normal part of adolescence that teens will outgrow on their own.

World Teen Mental Wellness Day was launched in 2020 by the retail brand Hollister to promote its Confidence Project. The Hollister Confidence Project is a year-round program dedicated to helping teens around the globe feel their most confident, comfortable and capable. It focuses on areas including teen mental health, anti-bullying efforts, environmental action, safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ youth, and equitable opportunities for BIPOC youth.

The main goal of World Teen Mental Wellness Day is to disrupt the stigma around teen mental health and help teens understand that it is okay to not be okay and reach out for help. It also encourages teens around the world to be kinder to themselves, practice self-care, and find constructive ways to deal with their feelings and emotions.

There are many ways to participate in World Teen Mental Wellness Day. You can reach out to the teens you know and tell them that you’re there for them, donate to a teen mental health project, volunteer for an organization that provides emotional support to teens and young adults, and raise awareness of the observance on social media using the hashtag #WorldTeenMentalWellnessDay.