In today’s world where we are constantly experiencing newer developments of all sorts, the downgrades are also going hand in hand. We humans often neglect ourselves in pursuit of our aims. Mental health is one thing that is most commonly affected. Our busy lives don’t allow us to stop and look. As per World Health Organization, more than 10% of adolescents and children are involved in some sort of mental health problem worldwide. This is an alarming rate given that the data on which this number is based may not claim complete representation and the actual rate could be much higher.

We often get it wrong that mental health problems are entirely due to mental processes inside a person’s head. This is true to some extent but not entirely. Other factors around a person like a house, city, weather, social conditions, work environment et cetera too influence mental health significantly. Every place that comes in your contact exerts some influence on your mental state.

The impact of the physical environment on mental health is often neglected. 

However, it is scientifically proven that the physical environment can activate dormant mental health problems or aggravate existing ones. This risk multiplies in the case of adolescents, on the verge of transition to adulthood, as their brains and bodies are still under the developing phase. Teen outpatient treatment at the earliest are recommended to pacify the mental health of teens.

Despite available statistics, we are often ignorant of the harmful effects of environmental forces on the mental health of our children and teens in our everyday lives. Children and teens are prone to anxiety, depression et cetera owing to these factors.

Housing

The place where you live holds a lot of influence on teens’ mental health. It is a common understanding that houses with inadequate facilities have an impact on their residents but children and adolescents are more vulnerable to such inadequacies like bugs, molds. Having not enough space to live in, crowded rooms have a profound effect on their mental health. Even a sense of uncleanness can leave lasting impressions on developing minds. These things though seemingly meagre can collectively have a compound effect in triggering mental health issues in young minds. Nowadays, more and more teens are forced to contribute financially to their homes. Stress and pressures from these too early responsibilities have negative effects.

Physical Environment

Everything that comes in contact with a person constitutes his physical environment. The neighborhood, school, what you hear, see, smell all of these make our physical environment. The more pleasant it is, pleasanter will be the effect on kids. Kids brought up in cities have different reactions than those of rural areas. They experience more stimulus than their counterparts. Pollution and environmental factors also play a role in making a difference in the mental health of youngsters. Physical medical conditions like respiratory problems acquired from living in unhealthy places aggravate mental health problems.

Relationships

As the teens are still in their developing stages, it becomes very difficult and stressful for them to manage conflicts, unreliable people, indirect communications et cetera. When people around them are involved in unhealthy activities, they are prone to be affected. Emotional, verbal, physical abuse at the hands of family/friends are still the more important factors in exacerbating mental issues.