1 in 3 young people in Ireland will experience some type of mental disorder by the age of 13.
By the age of 24 this startling statistic increases to 1 in 2.
20% of people in this bracket will experience suicidal thoughts at some point during this period.
Startling statistics such as these and the news of countless young people tragically taking their own lives every other week have gradually become commonplace in this country. One would struggle to avoid the topic, which has in recent times positioned itself firmly among the most prevalent issues concerning our society.
Amid the many articles, studies, radio talks, documentaries and government debates relating to mental health of late, one thing above all has been made abundantly clear. We are failing miserably when it comes to the mental development of our younger population.
Some comfort may be found in observing how our attitudes towards mental health have progressed. No longer spoken of in a hushed murmur of embarrassment, it’s an issue which we have become increasingly comfortable with acknowledging and discussing with honesty. Awareness is of course a pivotal aspect of any attempt to improve mental health, but is unfortunately only a scratch on the surface.
I applaud the magnificent work done by charities like Pieta House and the popularising of slogans like “It’s okay not to feel okay”. However I can’t help feeling that some of the focus needs to be shifted towards WHY young people don’t feel okay and what can be done in relation to that.
On reviewing the 24 page ‘Strategic Plan 2015-2017’ released by Mental Health Ireland last year, I found it discouraging to witness how little attention was applied to ‘prevention’. In fact, nowhere within the highly detailed ‘Core Objectives’ could I find reference to any intentions to investigate why troubling statistics like the ones highlighted above exist or how they might prevent them from reoccurring. The primary objectives are instead solely concerned with the treatment of cases that have already transpired.
Treatment should absolutely be given preference over prevention when it comes to any aspect of poor health, but ignoring the latter can only be seen as a detrimental approach.
It is difficult to account for every individual case, as many thousands of young people spiral into mental difficulty in response to experiences and events that are basically ungovernable. Nonetheless, it would take only a minor investigation of the bigger picture to discover what exactly is contributing to such a substantial number of the Irish youth feeling so desperately unhappy.
Consider our infamous attitudes towards alcohol. At the tender age of sixteen, our wide-eyed early teens can be seen casually adopting binge drinking as an integral part of their weekly socialising habits. An act which is seemingly accepted by the various should-be-authoritarians in their lives. Often through blind eyes which have been discretely turned in conjunction with the status quo.
We are regularly provided with new health reports which highlight the numerous negative effects alcohol abuse can have on not only our physical health but also on the mind. Yet it is still considered acceptable for young developing minds to get inexcusably inebriated on discount Polish Vodka every weekend. Teenage life, as we’re all aware, provides a variety of difficulties and obstacles that can make it a confusing and sometimes stressful period at the best of times. So adding vast amounts of strong alcohol to the equation can only be regarded as a catalyst for further anguish. Like dousing a crackling fire with a ‘Naggin’ of petrol.
Another area worth noting is our education system. There is no denying the extent of the agonising workload that the fifty-thousand-odd students who do the Leaving Certificate every June are expected to take on. A considerable amount of their energy and time, during such a vulnerable period, is devoted to what are extremely intense and somewhat mundane exams. Constantly reminded of the importance of said exams for their future, students often encounter stress levels which we must question the necessity of at such an early stage in life.
Then, at the tender age of seventeen/eighteen, students are expected to select what it is they will do for rest of their lives. A sentiment which leaves those who have no idea what to do feeling perplexed and pressured, and those who are lucky enough to know, feeling anxious about acquiring enough points to get there.
With the staggering influx in cases of depression in young students today, perhaps the time has come to reconsider how the place they apply most of their time is utilised for their development. People will argue that academic learning should be the only role of a school. But surely somewhere within the copious amount of hours applied to tedious academics, there is room for some change. Couldn’t some of the focus be swayed towards things like life coaching, mindfulness and personal development?
Generation Z, through no fault of their own, are ‘snapping’ their way through childhood with technology as an integral part of their rearing. So any discussion about their mental well-being that excludes the effects of social media and all that surrounds it, would make it an invalid one.
As the attention of teenagers continues to be grasped by the screens of their phones, we must question what effect it is having on their minds. Gazing drearily at their news feeds for hours on end, they are left constantly comparing their own lives to the glamorised ones that others display online. They are provided with a continuous reel of shocking news and extreme stories from around the world which can only be setting negative tones within the inner workings of their minds. But most importantly, this never ending distraction is denying them the ability to be self aware and in touch with their deeper thoughts.
With it being a reasonably new phenomenon, it may take some time to determine exactly what repercussions the overuse of social media is inflicting on the minds of the youth. But it is likely that soon, its overuse will escalate to a point where we are all forced to reconsider its place in society.
The various debacles that dominate an uninspiring Dail Eireann of late, leave little hope for change on this front. It’s likely we may witness some boosting of resources for mental health treatment soon. But it is improbable that we will see changes implemented or research sanctioned that relates to prevention. The type of changes and research that would ensure that the generation who are drinking, studying and ‘snapping’ their way sadly through their teens, don’t suffer like those before them.
You can read more of my pieces on my blog The Write Hand.
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