MIKEL EGURCEGUI

MENTAL HEALTH EPIDEMIC IN YOUNG PEOPLE

Even though physical health has vastly improved throughout the world, the contrary has
happened for our mental health, as nowadays young people are more depressed,
stressed and mentally ill than ever. As surprising as it seems, from 2009 to 2017 major
depression cases (MDD) amongst young adults doubled and serious psychological
distress cases (state of anxiety and hopelessness) increased 71% among 18-25 years
olds. These mental disorders carry devastating effects such as low productivity,
disability, reduced quality of life and premature mortality. Indeed, there has been an
increase in the youth´s willingness to end their lives, as almost twice as many 22-23 years
old's attempted suicide (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2016). Studies have
also found that the increase in mental disorders has happened between people aged 12
to 25, while adults (+26) have had smaller and less consistent increases, pointing out the
existence of a generational problem (Twenge, 2019). In this essay I will state the causes
and consequences of deteriorating mental health statistics among youngsters, while
proposing possible solutions to the crisis.

It is argued that the increase of mental disorders amongst the youth is not due to an
actual increase but to an increase in self-report rates. This is in part true, as nowadays
mental disorders are less stigmatized by society, so people might be more willing to
report their mental disorders today than in the past (American Psychological
Association, 2019). However, the reasoning is challenged by rising suicide rates. Suicide
is a behavior, so it is not dependent on report-rates, and suicide rates have climbed %56
amongst 18-19 years old's between 2008-2017 (Twenge, 2019). Therefore, it can be said
that the increase is real and that there are age-specific causes that have influenced
negatively on the youth´s mental health. Moreover, mental disorders are especially
impactful on young people, as individuals that experience depression on their youth are
far more likely to develop depression and commit suicide in adulthood. This tells us that
the issue could have long-lasting consequences if not treated properly and in a short
time.

A poor state of the economy could be considered a possible cause, as recession and
poverty overall influence negatively mental health (more stress, uncertainty). However,
during the rise of mental disorders of the youth (2010-2017), the economy was
improving. Drug use, another source of mental disorders, has been constant or in the
decline, making it unlikely cause (Twenge & Park, 2017).

Another possible cause is the rise of electronic communication and social media. The
phenomenon has happened the same years as the mental health crisis, and while social
media has had a big impact on everyone, it has completely changed how the youth
socializes. People of all ages have adopted new communication technologies, but
younger people have adopted them faster and in a total way, as almost every young
person owns a smartphone. For example, since 2008 adolescents are hanging out less
with friends in person and spending more time communicating electronically, staying
home rather than going out (Twenge, 2017). This shift in socialization has reached the
point where almost half of 18-29 years olds are online "almost constantly”, and %78 of
18-25 years old's use social media apps like Instagram or Snapchat (Pew Research
Center, 2019).

Moreover, It has been reported that the increase in social media use has had a direct
impact on the youth´s mental health. People who spend more time on social media than
socializing in person are more likely to be depressed (Shakya & Christakis, 2017), and
spending more time in digital media than in non-screen activities (exercise, hobbies) is
related to an increase on the likelihood of mental disorders and suicide (Twenge et al,
2018). Likewise, both uses of the general internet and cyberbullying have been linked
with depression and self-harm (Daine et al., 2013). This could just be that depressed
people are more drawn to social media more than others. However, studies have proven
that social media is the causation of depression and not the other way around. For
instance, in an experiment people that were randomly banned from using Facebook
experienced an improvement in their happiness (Tromholt, 2019). This leads us to the
question, why is social media negative in the youth´s mental health?
First, while today's youth might congregate socially and party less, when they do get
together they relentlessly and rigorously report it to social media. The ones not invited
are aware of other´s social activities, and continuously feel left out. More and more
youngsters feel social isolation, which can lead to loneliness and eventually depression.
The phenomenon also impacts the posters of the content, as they feel obliged to post
their social activities to find validation from others (Twenge, 2017).

People naturally compare themselves to others, but social media has carried this to an
extreme. As it is stated above, apps like Instagram and Facebook enable user´s to see
other´s social life, wealth, prestige, and beauty to an extent never seen before (Arad,
2017). Through these apps, the public constantly sees people with the best body, most
wealth and best social life. Even within our social environment, people show the best of
themselves, putting all the bad moments aside. Everyone to an extent has a sense of
worth relative to others, and when overexposed to unrealistic standers of life, self-
worth and confidence can decline, leading to deteriorating mental health. The
phenomenon is especially impactful in body image, as through Instagram the average
citizen constantly sees photos of perfectly beautiful people, relatively making them feel
uglier. This is exacerbated with photoshop and plastic surgery, as wealthy people (who
can afford them) along with the beauty industry set unrealistic standards of beauty the
masses cannot follow.

While more and more studies prove that sleep is essential for the development of teens
and young adults, the youth is sleeping less and less. This is also related to the rise of
social and digital media. Almost everyone sleeps with their phone, as most use it as an
alarm, a seemly harmless use. However, this is a perfect representation of the
attachment society has developed to social media, as most people check it first thing in
the morning and last thing at night. This can lead to less sleep, as various studies have
proved that smartphone use before sleep reduces its quality and quantity. Moreover,
people might stay with the smartphone in bed instead of sleeping, as it is a limited
source of information and entertainment. These facts are worrying, as sleep deprivation
has serious consequences, especially for the youth, and it can lead to the development
of mental disorders (Twenge, 2017).
Even though times are changing rapidly and radically, as humans people still maintain
old habits. To achieve satisfaction and happiness, human interaction is essential, as it
has been proven that electronic communication doesn´t achieve the same level of
fulfillment. Moreover, as the youth socializes less face to face, it can lead to a decrease
in social skills. As Twenge states "In the next decade, we may see more adults who know
just the right emoji for a situation, but not the right facial expression" (2017).

Seen the causes and the sequences, some measures have to be taken to mediate the
crisis. As reports asses that people who experience depression while young are more
prone to mental disorders in adulthood, investment is needed in phycological support
to young people. While public phycologists exist in various countries, those tend to be
of little quality and funding (e.g having to wait months for an appointment), making
them not a reliable source. Therefore, states have to take the issue seriously and invest
in public phycological services. Preventive sessions in schools could also be
implemented, where young people are informed about mental health disorders and
how to deal with them. Another approach would be to inform the youth about the main
cause of the issue, social media. Schools and universities could inform their students
about the negative side of social media, and how to use communication apps in a more
positive and nonharmful way.

To conclude, the youth´s mental health is on the decline whilst digital communication
has skyrocketed, pointing out the causation of the crisis. The youth is more depressed,
physiologically stressed, anxious, suicidal and self harming, factors that can be
associated with social media use, which reduces sleep, makes people feel worse off
compared to everyone else and reduces face to face communication. This new way of
life is affecting the mental health of young people, and for that various measures need
to be taken to limit the crisis impact, such as improved physiological support and
increased awareness of social media´s impact. This issue must be taken seriously, as
young´s people´s lives might be on the line.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

American Psychological Association, 2019. Americans Becoming More Open About Mental
Health. Available at: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/05/mental-health-survey
[Accessed 2019 11 18].

Arad Ayala et al, 2017. The Impact of Facebook on Social Comparison and Happiness. Tell Aviv:
Tel Aviv University. Avaible at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2916158
(Accessed 18/11/19)

Daine, K., Hawton, K., Singaravelu, V., Stewart, A., Simkin, S., & Montgomery, P. (2013). The
power of the web: A systematic review of studies of the influence of the internet on self-harm
and suicide in young people. Available at:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0181722#amendment-0
(Accessed 18/11/19)

Perrin, Andrew et al, 2019. About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’
online . Pew Research Center, July 25. Availabe at: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-
tank/2019/07/25/americans-going-online-almost-constantly/ft_19-07-
26_constantlyonline_roughly-eight-in-ten-us-adults-go -online-daily [Accessed 18 11 2019].

Shakya, H. B., & Christakis, N. A. (2017). Association of Facebook use with compromised well-
being: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 185, 203–211. Available at
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aje/kww189 (Accessed 22/11/19)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Key substance use and
mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug
Use and Health. Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Tromholt, M., 2019. The Facebook Experiment: Quitting Facebook Leads to Higher Levels of
Well-Being. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.. Vol. 19, No. 11.

Twenge, J. & Park, H. ,2017. The decline in adult activities among U.S. adolescents, 1976 –
2016. Child Development.. Volume 90, Issue 2 (Pages 638-654)

Twenge, J. , 2017. Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?. The Atlantic, September.

Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-
destroyed-a-generation/534198/ (Accessed 18/11/19)

Twenge, Jean et al, 2018. Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and
Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen
Time. Journal of Clinical Psychological Science, Vol 6, Issue 1.

Twenge, Jean et al, 2019. Age, Period, and Cohort Trends in Mood Disorder Indicators and
Suicide Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset. Journal of Abnormal
Psychology, Vol. 128, No. 3(185–199).