It’s no secret that the past few years have had a devastating effect on people’s mental health. But what America is facing today is an unprecedented mental health crisis that is affecting large swathes of our population, including our children. For many, the pandemic was the trigger. Others have seen their finances being turned upside down by recent stock market volatility. Millions have lost their jobs, and current economic problems have only added to the pressure. Meanwhile, young Americans have been mentally struggling at rates we have never seen before, and social media is a big contributor to that.
The Kaiser Family Foundation just published a new study in partnership with CNN which found that the vast majority of people in the country think the U.S. is experiencing a severe mental health crisis. Nine out of ten adults, or 90%, said that mental health issues in the U.S. are at crisis levels rather than being merely a problem, with high rates of mental health issues and mental illnesses being reported among children, teenagers, and adults, the study highlights.
One of the main causes of mental distress in children and teenagers is their prolonged exposure to social media. At this point, over 1 in 10 young Americans are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life, the research highlights. The problem is reaching such alarming proportions that last year, Seattle’s public schools’ district has filed a lawsuit against multiple major social media companies, accusing them of harming young people’s mental health. The lawsuit accused the social media companies behind TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat of creating a “mental health crisis among America’s youth”.
Meanwhile, the CNN and KFF poll also revealed that over 53 million adults say they are currently dealing with a severe mental health issue, with about half of them reporting that their family members suffer from similar problems as well. And although we’re talking about mental health more than at any other period in history, getting psychological and psychiatric care can be difficult and still be a stigma in many communities. Only 20% of those who reported experiencing anxiety and depression in the past year have sought medical care and treatment. The study detailed that most Americans see those issues as significant problems. A majority, 55%, say it’s a big problem that there aren’t enough mental health care providers, about 75% say that insurers not covering mental health the way they do physical health is a significant concern, and 80% say the same about the cost of mental health care.
With all that said, there’s no wonder why this epidemic is only getting worse year after year. Americans of all ages have been coping with increased pressure and a faster way of living. The fact that medical assistance is inaccessible for millions of people that truly need it only aggravates people’s personal mental health issues and makes illnesses persist for longer than they would if patients were getting proper treatment.
Hopelessness and despair continue to sweep through our society, but healing is still possible. If you’re struggling and feeling overwhelmed by painful and unbearable thoughts, know you don’t have to manage them alone. There are online therapy options and trained counselors that can help you get through this. Even when times are tough, there’s still hope, and together, we are stronger indeed.
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