
Feature Image: Cynthia del Rio
All teenagers experience similar mental illnesses regardless of gender, however eating disorders are more common in girls than boys. These are four of the most common mental illnesses in teenage girls.

Photo by Joris_Louwes
Depression

Photo by All Kinds of New
Depression is very widespread and many teens are diagnosed with the disorder. Depression can be caused by high stress levels, environmental and genetic factors, family relationships and trauma.
Anxiety

Photo by GabPRR
Anxiety is another common mental illness amongst adolescents. Anxiety is when a person experiences heightened levels of stress and fear for long periods of time. A study showed that 6.3% of females aged 12–17 experience anxiety—almost twice as many as boys in the same age group.
Eating Disorders

Photo by ellyn.
Many teenage girls develop eating disorders, which are linked to poor self-esteem, compulsive exercising, depression and peer pressure. People with eating disorders will take laxatives, diet pills, induce vomiting or barely eat to manage their weight.
Substance Abuse

Photo by Ian Sane
Substance abuse becomes a mental illness when the person develops an addiction for the drug or alcohol and subsequently loses control of their life. To learn more about teen substance abuse, read any of these seven important articles.