Mental illness affects teenagers with conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and bipolar. Teenagers respond differently to each illness through their behavior by acting out to get attention and/or secluding themselves because of fear of social acceptance or someone misunderstanding them.

Of the 1.2 billion people ages 10 to 19, most adolescents are healthy. However, over the years deaths among adolescents have increased due to preventable and treatable causes. Illnesses can hinder their ability to grow and develop to their full potential, with one out of every six adolescents using or abusing alcohol, tobacco, and having unprotected sex.

Some of the main health issues among adolescents include:

• Early pregnancy and childbirth
• HIV
• Mental health (depression, social anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders)
• Violence
• Substance abuse
• Malnutrition and obesity

Promoting healthy practices such as exercise, open communication, birth control contraceptives, and education is crucial for the prevention of worsened health problems in adulthood and even lessening issues in early adolescence.