'Sick Lit' - What's your opinion?

There's no doubt that the genre of 'sick lit' is arising in the YA book community. Successes of the novels surrounding physical and mental illness such as The Fault in Our Stars and All these Bright Places have boomed but recently have been causing debate.

Is it right for these issues to be discussed in YA novels?
During the past year when this genre has developed dramatically, multiple reports are being published calling the plot lines and themes distasteful, disgusting and harmful to teenagers. They argue that it is immoral to write a book about such serious issues that people are are going through and infer that it is disrespectful. They also say that it is harmful to teenagers and young adults by encouraging and promoting behaviour such as suicide and self harm which is cautiously avoided in other media forms. 

However, I disagree on the morals of this genre. YA and teen fiction is literary age which tackles some difficult and life changing issues to help guide young people through the most challenging and confusing times of their lives. Why should the topics such as illness and mental health be avoided when nowadays, it is such a prominent factor in growing up? The charity Teen Mental Health states that 1 in 5 young people suffer from a mental health disorder and I can see that from the people I see around me. As for the statements that say these issues are being tackled too young, it is also stated on the charity Young Minds website that staggeringly, 1 in 10 people aged between 5 - 16 suffer with mental illness. So why is the topic now a taboo subject? Maybe those who are going through the issues find comfort in reading about these issues in the hope that they are not alone and someone else understands them. For those, not experiencing the issues, isn't it a known fact reading makes for a more empathetic person? So, by reading about people going through these tragic times, maybe they will be more understanding and supportive to others.

I'm curious to find out other people's opinions about this issue and whether they think it is right for this genre to exist and be so prominent in the book community - please share with me your thoughts on this but please be respectful of other people's opinions. This is just my opinion I have stated and I acknowledge it is not the only one and am not saying anyone else's thoughts are wrong.

'Sick Lit' Recommendations: 
(click on covers for more information)