A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly three in five teen girls have felt persistently sad or hopeless.

The findings also show that nearly a third of teen girls seriously considered attempting suicide.

Keith Scott, a Hofstra professor and mental health expert, says many saw this coming in the wake of the pandemic.

"We saw the system shut down, we saw youth struggling and it's no one's direct fault, but this is a huge gap we see now and it's troubling and worrisome about what's going to happen in the future," Scott says.

The feelings of sadness and hopelessness for teen girls are double the rate of teen boys, according to the study.

Scott says some of the causes for the anxiety and depression are unrealistic images and messaging portrayed on social media.

He says preventing teens from getting to the point where they feel hopeless has to start with the right people recognizing their conditions.

"We have to start working with school districts as young as possible really to help teaching coping skills really have more access to programs and mental health providers and make sure we're screening individuals for mental health," Scott says.

The CDC report also showed a rise in violent behavior targeting girls, with 20% saying they have experienced sexual violence with the last year.