Online survey shows that some teens fake mental health problems

By Staff Writer

Many adolescents no longer just want to look or act like their favorite celebrities. A recent survey found that some problem teens have faked mental illness because popular trendsetters have gone public about their emotional problems, according to the Daily Mail.

The news provider recently reported that a Mentaline.com study revealed that approximately 16 percent of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 said they believe that celebrities have made mental conditions "fashionable." About one-third of the teens who were surveyed admitted that they faked a serious disorder to emulate a famous person.

Approximately 22 percent of teens said that they had faked an eating disorder, while 17 percent had faked a self-harming incident. About 13 percent of teens questioned said they had tried to convince their peers that they battled addiction issues, while 12 percent had faked depression.

Jesper Buch of Mentaline.com, a self-help forum, told the news provider that he was shocked by the study's results because it shows that many teens do not take mental illness seriously.

Children who frequently lie or desperately seek attention may benefit from boarding schools, some of which are designed to provide help for troubled teens.