First off, first post of 2023! I would like to apologize that the post is too long to read in the email (you will be able to click at the bottom to see the rest and full citations if it is too short), but hope you enjoy this essay I wrote for a class!
By now, it is common knowledge that the coronavirus pandemic led to a stark increase in the rates of mental health issues among teenagers. Simple statistics prove as much: even before the onset of COVID, mental illness among adolescents “increased 52 percent in adolescents from 2005 to 2017 (from 8.7 percent to 13.2 percent”1. Post-pandemic numbers are relatively uncertain and harder to find (health privacy laws and the sort), but what we do know is alarming. According to a Stanford study, as a result of the pandemic “16-year-olds had more severe mental health problems, and their brains appeared “several years” older than 16-year-olds who were assessed before pandemic restrictions began.”2. This stark rise is probably the most alarming and pressing issue facing our teenagers at the moment, and will define our generation, not just in the United States but also worldwide. According to UNICEF “one in five European boys aged 15 to 19 suffer from mental disorders, followed by more than 16 percent of girls the same age.”3. Numbers are presumptively similar in other first world countries like China and Russia, but they do not report their numbers accurately to the world. The question now stands: what is the cause? The easy answer is COVID-19 (coronavirus), but that can’t be the only thing. Is social media the true culprit? No. Like most issues there are several true causes, and perhaps even more contributing factors. To instead truly understand what is causing this mental health pandemic, there must instead be a deep dive into the different happenings of what is going on, and to put it simply: there is a lot.
COVID-19
The obvious answer when asking about the cause of this mental health pandemic is to examine the coronavirus pandemic. It takes no scientific study to know that when you force people into their own homes and are unable to socialize in-person, it takes a hit on your mental health, not to mention the stress that results from the chaos of a deadly global pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) listed the stress factors that led to a 25% increase in mental health issues in the first year of the pandemic4 as follows: “Loneliness, fear of infection, suffering and death for oneself and for loved ones, grief after bereavement and financial worries”5. The stress factors were all major results of the pandemic and most of them also are contributing factors for mental health illnesses. This in turn created a perfect storm for the increase. While this increase affected people across different age and demographic groups, it particularly affected teens. According to a WHO report, “the pandemic has affected the mental health of young people and that they are disproportionally at risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviours.”6. However, most things that went up as a result of coronavirus (hospitalization rates, prices for goods, etc) went back down, mental health rates continued to rise. This can be traced back to lost time of socialization. Generally speaking, coronavirus lockdowns lasted roughly 15 months, from April 2020 to July 2021. This was a whole fifteen months where children and teenagers were physically cut off from their friends and peers. School closures impacted the end of the 2019-20 school year and most of the 2020-21 school year, and even portions of the 2021-22 school year. With school being the primary place of socialization for many kids, this caused them to be held back socially. Following the statistics, it can be inferred that teenagers feel serious loneliness, which is backed up from a 2020 Harvard survey finding that “61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children—feel “serious loneliness.””7. As just about everyone learned over the course of the COVID pandemic, virtual forms of communication do not come anywhere close to making up for in-person forms. Teenagers resorted to using social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, along with video games, to fill the social void. This shift by itself boosted rates of social media and video game addiction in teenagers, but that is another subject entirely. However, one thing is clear, playing games like Fortnite or Minecraft, or texting friends on Snapchat, Instagram, or by other means, does little to alleviate the social stress on teenage social systems. Friends enjoy hanging out in-person, whether that be going to the mall, watching movies, hanging out at each other's houses, etc. These increased rates in loneliness and mental health problems in teenagers are easily correlated with the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Not only did the rates begin to rise the week of March 20th, when most school closures began, but as lockdowns increased, the same statistics rose. To prove this, we can simply check the statistics over time. In 2018, 9.8% of people aged 16-24 said they were “often” lonely8. As said before, that number shot up to 61% in 2020, a 622.5% increase. In 2021, “63% of young people are suffering significant symptoms of anxiety or depression”9. What this proves is that it's not a direct positive correlation between length of lockdown and depression/loneliness rates among teens. The rate shot up during COVID, however did not go down once schools started opening back up, which leads to a potential possibility, the socialization teenagers (and pre-teens) lost during pandemic lockdowns isn’t going to be completely patched up by the regaining of socialization, and instead proves that the lost social time because of the pandemic is something that most likely will never be given back. Social Media Social media was something that immediately blew up during the lifetime of the teenage generation. According to a Pew Research Center study, in 2005 10% of internet users use social media10. In 2010, the number shot up to 60%, and hit 76% in 201511. These days, it seems that just about every teenager uses social media. 67% of all teens say the use TikTok, 95% say they use YouTube, and Instagram and Snapchat sit around 60%12. Among these four, including Facebook, 35% of teens say the are almost constantly on one of these apps13. Simply put, social media is a staple of teen culture. However, social media has a strong potential for downsides. The most notable of these include the potential for the onset of mental health issues in users. According to Cross River Therapy, constant social media use results in increased risks for anxiety, stress, depression, body image concerns, and loneliness14. According to a 2018 survey by the Pew Research Center, 59% of teenagers reported experiencing one of the following forms of cyberbullying: nae-calling, spreading of false rumors, receiving unwanted explicit messages or images, constant acting of where they are, what they are doing, and if they are with someone by an non=parent, physical threats, and the sharing of explicit images of them without consent15. And while some of the mental disorders that could arise from cyberbullying have been mentioned, perhaps the most alarming statistic is that “A person suffering from cyberbullying is 1.9 times more likely to commit suicide,”16. The risks go further as well. “64% of cyberbullying victims report that it had a significant effect on their ability to learn and feel safe at school.”17. Overall, “Being targeted by a cyberbully may increase your child’s risk of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or even feelings of worthlessness.”18. When it comes to social media, it has a big risk of causing mental health issues. This does not mean that all mental health issue are a result of social media, nor does it mean that social media What it does mean however, is that like most things, social media is something that can’t be used willy nilly, but instead must be used with caution, being careful not to go down a dark path. Social Pressures There is no denying that with the lives we live in nowadays, there are plenty of social pressures that follow. These can range from anything from pressures in an educational setting, the social pressures in terms of friendship, beauty and external pressures, to the natural feelings we experience emotionally being amplified because of other things (like stress). Frankly, social pressures alone could warrant an entire book the length of Don Quixote (1077 pages), but there are several things that are of note. Overall, educational pressures both from peers and parents are a factor in mental health. Students feel incredibly pressured to perform well at school when their group of friends do so, and when their parents expect them to do so. This doesn’t mean someone shouldnt strive to perform well in school, but that when someone feels pressured to perform and aren’t ready to handle it, they struggle, and when they struggle they are pressured to do even better, which creates an infinite loop. This leads to more mental health issues, like anxiety, and potentially depression19. This can also lead to “hopelessness”, where someone experiences pessimistic attitudes and a belief that they cannot change them, which can be triggered by uncontrollable chronic measures20. Multiple studies have confirmed this, where “academic stress such as poor academic performance, a desire to succeed, and post-graduation plans can lead to anxiety” can occur according to the NIH21. While anxiety itself is not evidence of a mental disorder, it can lead someone to one, especially if the anxiety is chronic, and potentially begins to hinder the life of a person and/or leads to suffering. When it comes to pressures with friends, and more generally our peers, those also can lead to the onset of mental health problems. When people are going through rough times with their peers, friends, or romantic interest, it can cause increased stress and feelings of sadness. Again, while this doesn’t constitute a mental health problem, it can lead to one especially if the person is genetically predisposed to mental issues. This specifically can rear it's head in “toxic relationships. According to clinical psychologist Gillian Needleman, a toxic relationship is any relationship where “You're unable to have a meaningful and positive connection with the other person and this often leaves you questioning yourself."22. According to Dr. Needleman, they can negatively affect your mental health by affecting “your sense of self and identity, damage your self-esteem, and even lead to feelings of depression and/or anxiety.”23. Dr. Needleman lays out how you can see a toxic relationship like this: "In a toxic friendship scenario, you might always feel emotionally drained after seeing them; it can be a real energy drain, a feeling of heaviness," says Ms Needleman. "You might feel a huge sense of obligation or guilt for not seeing them enough. You might be dreading the interaction, knowing that a conversation all about them, or a stream of criticism, lies ahead."24 I recommend reading the full article, which can be found here, or in the footnotes. Toxic relationships aren’t the only place where friendships can result in mental health issues. When our friends, particularly close ones, are going through problems and turmoil, we naturally worry about them. However, this could negatively impact your own mental health. According to the Jed Foundation, “Taking care of a friend or loved one struggling emotionally can affect your mental health.”25. This is something to keep in mind. It is incredibly important to help out your friends when they need it, but you also need to be cautious while doing so. Some of the most important people in the world to us are our friends, especially the close ones, however, it does no good to the people you care about if you are struggling with your own mental health while trying to help theirs, and it impedes your own ability to go about your life. Friends are important to our lives though. I once wrote “Without friends, people have a low sense of self-worth. Without friends, people feel lonely and isolated, and loneliness and isolation destroys the human mind. For those who have friends, it is a happy experience. Often, the light at the end of the tunnel for people after a hard day is hanging out with friends, going to the movies or dinner, or simply just spending time at their house.”26.. The third major social pressure on mental health is beauty. We see so much in the world these unrealistic standards of beauty. Media has set a cultural standard of beauty, one that consists of “skinny waistlines, big muscles, tan skin, full lips, large breasts and six-pack abs; dismissing the fact that true beauty originates from the inside.”27. These standards have caused teenagers to start trying to beholden themselves to this unrealistic standard. Obviously, not everyone is the stereotypical beautiful boy or girl. In fact, nobody really is. Especially teenagers. This however causes teenagers to become depressed because of their low self-image. According to a 2006 study, “Adolescents with negative body images are more likely to be depressed, anxious and suicidal than those without intense dissatisfaction over their appearance, even when compared to adolescents with other psychiatric illnesses”28. When other people see someone who doesn’t fit into these standards of beauty, it can also lead to bullying, and cyberbullying. Weight concerns also lead to a low self-image. Obviously, it is not good to be overweight, as it leads to negative impacts on one's health. However, it is not okay to bully and ridicule someone because of this. This can lead to eating disorders as a result. While nobody knows the exact cause for them, “they seem to coexist with psychological and medical issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, trouble coping with emotions, and substance abuse.”29. As always, these types of things have no singular cause, but there are clear correlations between the two. Finally, the normal pressure of everyday life, while not causing mental illness itself, can be the straw that broke the camel's back. When someone is already dealing with tons of stress, whether it be because of school, work, family issues, and other things that can lead to mental illnesses begin to happen too, they accumulate and can cause someone to begin to feel depressed and/or anxious chronically. While this could be a phase, it could be a sign of something worse. There are plenty of things in life that can become an issue if accumulated enough. This by no means is advice on your life, but it is a potential cause for a mental illness. Conclusion Overall, there are many causes for mental health issues, especially recently, which may be some of the culprits for the modern mental health pandemic. None of this is meant to be taken as psychiatric advice, it is just a list of causes that I have done my best to backup with scientific research and the words of professionals. If you are experiencing problems in your life, especially if they are beginning to hinder your quality of life, reach out to someone. It doesn’t have to be a therapist, it can merely be a friend or family member. My hope with this is to educate people on some of the causes for mental issues, so that they can better understand the problems that plague our society that also affect our everyday lives. Teenagers in general are going through a lot. The laundry list includes COVID-19, social media, and cultural pressures, but there are many more. Do your own research, that is probably the only piece of true advice I am qualified to give.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed and would like to say, Happy New Year! Check out another essay I wrote to defend the electoral college. Or read the full article on The Power of Friendship. Thanks again, and have a great day!
Sliwa, Jim. 2019. “Mental Health Issues Increased Significantly in Young Adults over Last Decade.” Https://Www.apa.org, March 14, 2019. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/03/mental-health-adults.
Jewell, Zach. “Teens’ Brains Were Physically ‘Altered,’ Aged by ‘Several Years’ during COVID Lockdowns: Stanford Study.” n.d. The Daily Wire. Accessed December 7, 2022. https://www.dailywire.com/news/teens-brains-were-physically-altered-aged-by-several-years-during-covid-lockdowns-stanford-study.
“The Mental Health Burden Affecting Europe’s Children.” n.d. Www.unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/eu/stories/mental-health-burden-affecting-europes-children.
World Health Organization. 2022. “COVID-19 Pandemic Triggers 25% Increase in Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Worldwide.” World Health Organization. March 2, 2022. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Weissbourd, Richard, Milena Batanova, Virginia Lovison, and Eric Torres. 2021. “Loneliness in America: How the Pandemic Has Deepened an Epidemic of Loneliness and What We Can Do about It.” Making Caring Common. February 2021. https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/reports/loneliness-in-america.
“Children’s and Young People’s Experiences of Loneliness - Office for National Statistics.” 2018. Ons.gov.uk. 2018. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/childrensandyoungpeoplesexperiencesofloneliness/2018.
Haseltine, William A. n.d. “Young People Hit Hardest by Loneliness and Depression during Covid-19.” Forbes. Accessed January 5, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/04/13/young-people-hit-hardest-by-loneliness-and-depression-during-covid-19/?sh=1081495f5f0b.
Perrin, Andrew. 2015. “Social Media Usage: 2005-2015.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. October 8, 2015. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/10/08/social-networking-usage-2005-2015/.
Ibid.
Vogels, Emily A., Risa Gelles-Watnick, and Navid Massarat. 2022. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022.” Pew Research Center. August 10, 2022. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/.
Ibid.
“49 Social Media and Mental Health Statistics.” n.d. Www.crossrivertherapy.com. Accessed January 9, 2023. https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/social-media-and-mental-health-statistics#is-social-media-bad-for-mental-health?.
Anderson, Monica. 2018. “A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Pew Research Center. September 27, 2018. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/.
“Cyberbullying Statistics and Data for 2022.” n.d. Digital Cooperation. https://digitalcooperation.org/research/cyberbullying/#:~:text=A%20person%20suffering%20from%20cyberbullying.
Ibid.
“What Are the Effects of Cyberbullying?” 2020. Www.hackensackmeridianhealth.orghttps. August 17, 2020. https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/HealthU/2020/08/17/what-are-the-effects-of-cyberbullying
Dyson R, Renk K. Freshmen adaptation to university life: depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. J Clin Psychol. 2006;62(10):1231–1244. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20295
Landis D, Gaylord-Harden NK, Malinowski SL, Grant KE, Carleton RA, Ford RE. Urban adolescent stress and hopelessness. J Adolesc. 2007;30(6):1051–1070. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2007.02.001
Zhang, Chang, Lijuan Shi, Tong Tian, Ziwei Zhou, Xiyuan Peng, Yidong Shen, Yamin Li, and Jianjun Ou. 2022. “Associations between Academic Stress and Depressive Symptoms Mediated by Anxiety Symptoms and Hopelessness among Chinese College Students.” Psychology Research and Behavior Management Volume 15 (March): 547–56. https://doi.org/10.2147/prbm.s353778.
“Toxic Friendships & Relationships.” n.d. Jean Hailes. https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/toxic-friendships-relationships.
Ibid.
Ibid.
“How to Take Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Friends | JED.” n.d. The Jed Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-to-take-care-of-yourself-when-youre-taking-care-of-friends/.
McMillen, Kenny. n.d. “The Power of Friendship.” Kennymcmillen.substack.com. Accessed January 10, 2023.
Mahoney, Ben. “The Obsession with Beauty and How It Is Linked to Depression in Teens.” 2017. Discovery Mood & Anxiety Program. August 2, 2017. https://discoverymood.com/blog/obsession-beauty-linked-depression-teens/.
Ibid.
Byrd, Florence. 2011. “Signs of an Eating Disorder.” WebMD. WebMD. February 11, 2011. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/signs-of-eating-disorders.