The pressures young girls face are mounting.
"It's the best time in history to be a girl, but the flip side is the pressures are relentless," Dr. Stephen Hinshaw said.
Psychologist Stephen Hinshaw says young girls are facing a triple bind -- a set of expectations almost impossible to meet. Not only do girls have to be brainy and athletic, they also have to be thin and beautiful. It's leading to a mental health crisis.
"One girl in four by the age of 19 will have developed a major depression, made a suicide attempt, been involved in cutting or self mutilation, or been involved in binge eating or other eating disorders," the doctor said.
Even really young girls are feeling the pressure. for some, competition starts when they're toddlers.
"National surveys of 3rd grade girls -- 8-year-old girls -- in the United States, 60 percent are worried about their weight, and over a third are dieting," Dr. Hinshaw said.
Hinshaw says parents should teach girls to be critical of the media. Eating dinner together has also been shown to reduce the risk of eating disorders, depression and drug and alcohol use. Also, encourage girls to get involved in the community to give them a greater sense of purpose.
"Getting that sense of commitment in the community may be the ultimate solution to the triple bind," Hinshaw said.
Paving the way for the women of tomorrow.
