A key U.S. government report on mental health, substance use and addiction showed continued improvements in several metrics, especially among young people. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released the latest report, with data that lets researchers look at trends from 2021 to 2025.

Declining Trends

Fewer adolescents aged 12 to 17 reported using tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and binge drinking in the previous month, the survey found. Additionally, fewer in that age group reported illicit drug and marijuana use, starting drinking alcohol, vaping or marijuana, and substance, alcohol or drug use disorders.

Adolescents also saw declining trends for major depressive episodes and fewer reported serious thoughts of suicide, making a suicide plan and attempting suicide. Young adults aged 18 to 25 saw similarly favorable trends.

Challenges Remain

Still, many young people face mental health challenges. Nearly 20% of adolescents surveyed had moderate or severe anxiety symptoms in the previous two weeks, compared with about 7% of adults over the age of 18. Robyn Oster, policy director for the Partnership to End Addiction, noted that ‘there’s still a lot of work to be done’ and that ‘nearly 45 million people still have substance use disorder and still not nearly enough people are getting treatment’.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.