Rita Chatterjee

Mental Health America offers 14 different standardized mental health screeners on its website.

Half of those who screened at risk for a mental health problem said low self-image was one of the main causes of their symptoms.

and 34% identified loneliness and isolation as key factors.

Over half of all teens who took the depression screening in 2025 reported frequent thoughts of ending their lives, up 3% from the year before.

56% of LGBTQ plus youth taking the screens also reported frequent thoughts of suicide, compared to 39% of their peers.

If you or anyone you know is in crisis,

please call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988.

Ritu Chatterjee, NPR News.

Suicide deaths among 15 to 34-year-olds fell by 11% between July 2022 when 988 launched and December 2024.

That translated to more than 4,300 fewer suicide deaths during this time period compared to what scientists would have expected based on trends in prior years.

Hannah Weslowski is chief advocacy officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

States like Virginia and Rhode Island, with the highest uptick in calls to 988, saw a larger decline in youth suicides, 18%, compared to 11% decrease in states like Alabama and Texas, which had the lowest uptick in calls.

The findings are published in JAMA.

Ritu Chatterjee, NPR News.