We’re fed up, lonely, and looking at a bleak economy as we enter the workforce. Sounds about right.
Effective-Potato-621 on
No, they don’t.
One in four *say* they do.
But that’s different.
CastleofWamdue on
Given that certain people spent all of 2020 complaining about kids mental health, maybe it’s time the government spent some money on kids mental health then.
NGeoTeacher on
It’s almost as if we’ve created a society for ourselves that is fundamentally incompatible with human biology.
usernamerandom56 on
Height is on a scale. Intelligence is on a scale. Every aspect of the human condition is on a scale. Autism, Asperger’s ,Narcissism, Psychopathy and every other human condition always existed, but we didn’t have a way to identify it and label it. Post WW1 and WW2 there was probably shocking incidence of PTSD, but we didn’t have a definition nor a label. Perhaps there was no more cancer than now, but we didn’t have the technology of MRIs or ultrasound or x-rays.or biopsies or blood tests. Starts will show us there is more cancer, but it’s not the whole story. People just died previously without ever having seen a doctor. Perhaps the current state of mental health has always been with us, only in previous eras there was no definite diagnosis and no label …?
redalgee on
Yeyyyy welcome to the club guys! Please choose a special interest or hobby to help you through dark times! There are many communities out there for the 25% of us and a lot of them too are suffering. Remember, just because the media makes us out to be a problem, doesn’t mean it’s true! Embrace your weird, look after yourself first before you look after others! And one day, these dark times will be over; don’t feel it’s your responsibility to fix soceity’s problems.
lubbockin on
30 years ago many of my friends then were on antidpressants.
it’s like people are more open now about this, I don’t think the numbers are greater.
Sudden_Star_5130 on
Like people in this country care about anyone’s mental health, we live in a ‘im alright jack’ society, not to mention everyone’s stuck with their head in their smartphones to give a damn.
existentialgoof on
Any kind of mental suffering now tends to be interpreted through a medical lens, and these diagnoses are subjective and unfalsifiable. This also coincides with the rise in victimhood culture and the age of infantilisation, in which people aren’t expected to have reserves of emotional resiliency, and do expect to have authority figures to protect them from hurt feelings. Because resilience isn’t being cultivated, that means that people are becoming fragile. In addition to becoming reliant on authorities to protect them from emotional injury inflicted by others, they also have the expectation that all of their everyday emotional distress can and should be medicated away, or soothed by some kind of talk therapy nostrum administered by the new clerisy that psychiatry has become.
In addition to the above, there is just the base reality that life is simply a pyramid scheme and a futile, unprofitable struggle in a meaningless universe. Because we are less religious as a society, we don’t have the same illusions to protect us from that truth than our ancestors had.
Riding_on_the_hype on
Sitting on a computer/console/phone and not leaving the house and meeting up with your friends in person is bad for you…? shocking
Sensitive_Echo5058 on
Most people will experience some sort of mental distress, low mood, or anxiety at various points during their life.
The vast majority of people won’t develop long-term mental health conditions that contribute to disability within social, occupational, and educational domains.
It’s important to maintain that distinction and not dilute the meaning of mental health diagnoses so that the people who really need support can access this and be prioritised.
Time-Flower3110 on
I’m not one for dumping my life story but for once I think it’s relevant to the conversation.
I am one of those young people. I am 21(m) and have had the pleasure of dealing with mental health services in this country.Â
I have struggled with depression for years, but mostly out of pride tried to stick it out. Unfortunately as a result of not being able to handle myself I ended up regularly self harming and in the past two years had attempted to take my own life several times, overdosing on over the counter medication.Â
There is still a lot of stigma around mental health and because of this sometimes I wouldn’t even report to A&E even when I “panicked” and realised what I had done. The A&E local to me never knew what to do with someone like me, I would be left waiting in a corridor alone for up to 20 hours before a nurse would ask me leave once they decided I wasn’t going to drop dead then and there. There was a referral to a service called Therapy4u but I never would hear from them. Often the doctors wouldn’t listen to what I was telling them and would say things like “you aren’t that bad, you came here after all” and “you really shouldn’t do that, you’re being silly”. Naturally this wouldn’t end up helping my mindset about seeking help.
I think maybe it was my third or forth attempt (which didn’t go to plan, long story short a rail replacement bus service ended up derailing my plan to jump in front of a train leading me to overdose as a backup) before I spoke to a mental health nurse. That was the first time someone tried to help.Â
I would be looked after by a crisis team at home (hospital beds for inpatient care were full) and was constantly monitored for months. I was heavily medicated, which I still am, and not allowed to go anywhere alone. It was horrible and felt like I was trapped in my own home.
Eventually I would be given treatment through DBT and am now going to start employment again for the first time since my last suicide attempt. I’ve come a long way but I nearly died before getting the chance of getting help.
I am under no illusion that due to how young people are being illustrated as being soft and “making it up” has led to people like me being rejected from A&E. And if we are being blunt there will have been people lost that could of been treated.
I only got the chance because I got lucky. In a bit of irony my new start is what nearly ended me, I will be working on the railway! But the constant news stories about young people and mental health and the politicising of a health issue is shameful and all sides are guilty.Â
What I will say is this, the constant demonising and equivocating about mental health can and will make people question if their issues will be taken seriously. It will also make them more likely to be ignored or dismissed by medical staff when a young person presents themselves. This will cost lives. And for those who are still reading and are thinking of the financial cost, I will leave you with this:
Suicides are expensive to the tax payer, they automatically require a coroner’s inquiry and investigation. I used to have to play a part in those in my last job.
no_fooling on
Social media is a major contributor to this.
When youre constantly bombarded with peoples “amazing lives” to compare against of course youre depressed.
DadBodGeneral on
The economy isn’t in a great position, and that can hit young people hard. However I do think many young people are lacking proper human-to-human connection, at least compared to my generation without phones and social medias.
I remember during the 1980s as a young lad, everything felt a bit easier to handle after a few pints and a nice evening walk with my friends. Young people definitely have it harder nowadays, but I think it’s worth thinking about.
Teethsin on
Our politicians are very clearly lying and use their influence to remove as much money from the public and into the pockets of the rich. Our social services are gutted, there’s nothing for young people to do, the high streets look a complete shambles, there’s litter everywhere, the NHS is so underfunded but it’s somehow brown people’s fault, there’s very little to no hope or owning a home, wages have been stagnant for years. People have demonstrated and protested about things they genuinely care about and nothing changes. What’s the point?
goodtitties on
i mean yeah, it’s a country fundamentally without hope or optimism and it’s getting worse every year. is finding life in Britain miserable a fault or just accurately interpreting how things are
Moop_the_Loop on
My kids are both depressed. Both in their 20s, one has an admin job and earns ÂŁ26k and struggles to pay rent, let alone save. The other one has applied for 100’s of apprenticeships/jobs and is still unemployed living with me. He’s autistic and noone will give him a chance. He’s not stupid. He can drive, he just comes across different. His mates are in the same situation. They have no hope and I don’t have enough money to give out deposits or the connections to get jobs.
PabloMarmite on
I’ve worked in CAMHS and it really can’t be emphasised enough how much the pandemic fucked young people up. So many case histories seemed to start there.
Crazystaffylady on
People being terminally online and growing up online is a huge factor.
psychopathic_shark on
I am going to be down voted for this but unfortunately it does appear that the GPs are giving a label to individuals who don’t deserve that label. It is understandable to be sad when a sad thing happens and we need to process that emotion not being given tablets with the thought “this will solve it”
Whilst working in a mental health team I sat with a nurse to do a mental health assessment on a young lady, she had been from the age of 18 given the diagnosis from the GP as having anxiety and depression. We spent time speaking about her past experiences, her income through benefits and how her life revolved around staying in and watching tiktok, YouTube and things like. We got to the point of speaking about finding meaningful work that would give her a sense of self worth. Her reply was “well…I mean I’m 26 now…I don’t really see the point in getting a job now”
There have been some individuals who I have spoken to of a younger generation however who have had some very traumatic incidents in their past and they actively want to work towards bettering themselves but sadly the treatment they need to do this is difficult to access on the NHS. I have also seen them beat that! I think upbringing has a lot to do with this. A younger person coming from working parents regardless of the job that parent has have a bigger drive to work, those who come from parents who are none workers this appears to be the norm not to work and to use numerous excuses as to why they cannot work. There is a drive in them to better themselves but there is a difficulty that the parents have not pushed them the way they should or sadly not been educated enough themselves to be able to encourage an education or self esteem because the parents have never had that themselves so it is difficult to give something they have never had. Also however there is a high expectations of what someone needs to be in society with the advances in social media that impacts a younger person regardless of their background.
Minimum-Geologist-58 on
I genuinely think there’s a generation that’s been raised to think society cares about mental health more than it does, which is probably enough, and finds the collision with reality itself alarming: it has limits, people still generally expect you to go to work, not everybody is a constantly giving wellspring of compassion. God knows I’m not, and I’ve put in my time before the mast helping people and know “why should I be? It’s tiring!” There’s a balance to be struck, mental health needs to be taken seriously but society also needs to be able to operate without dedicating itself 100% to being a 24/7 support network. People need to be equipped to help themselves not infantilised.
pelicanradishmuncher on
Imagine being surprised when we doom monger children so much about their futures, force them to sit indoors for 6 hours a day and pressurise them into taking annual tests before they can even tie their own shoes that they become ill.
coleraineyid on
You can’t put millions of children into poverty without consequences. Add to that the decimation of any support services and you create a perfect storm.
NucleiSpin on
It’s the narrative, the further dissection, the ridiculous conclude, the political spin, the societal commentary
KlausGriffinThe1st on
I’m sure it’s more than that. I’m one of them. For every reply I’ll assume you’re in the same situation as me. The world just seems depressing sometimes and some peoples brains are wired differently, like ADHD which I have.
DikNetwork on
I don’t blame them. Bills, taxes, mortgage chasing you every month.
EggCustody on
Surely just being English is a mental condition in itself these days
Turbulent_Art745 on
considering ive never met a single human being without mental health problems, this is complete bs.
there are only two types of people, those who know they have issues and those who delude themselves.
Vyseria on
Just because you have a mental health condition doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a burden to society and I hate this narrative. Just means you’ve got your own shit you’re dealing with.
Unlikely_Chemical517 on
1 in 4 has been consistent with the whole population for at least 10 years now. For younger people I’m surprised it’s not higher
Fabulous-Sir-2048 on
Just search that Rat experiment where they are locked in small cage with water and a hardcore drug… and then when their given a huge environment with freedom and free entertainment.. and they no longer need that fix. Kind of says it all really….Â
Edit: God gave our world the freedom to do as we please.. to show us that without him we are a mess… and that we need him to live in peace. 🙏Â
External-Ad4873 on
That’s because 2 in 4 have suffered some sort of emotional or physical abuse, 3 in 4 live in poverty and 4 in 4 have a bleak outlook for their future.
ComprehensiveAd8815 on
People always did but we no name or meaningful way to describe, express or receive treatment … “oh you’re depressed.. “high spirited”, “slow”, “bad with your nerves”, “not a people person”, “stop being moody” It was always there.
Strange_Awareness605 on
Yes, it’s called living under end stage capitalism
_Taggerung_ on
Not terribly surprising, wages are awful, we stuck a load of children into isolation for years during COVID, no prospect of owning a house or even living independently due to rental prices, job market shrinking and even if you have a degree and do well for yourself more responsible roles barely come with more pay, more kids in poverty, crap NHS support. The list is endless, but I’m sure the media will find a way to blame it on the spoiled tiktok yoofs.
BuzzAllWin on
Well the world is fucked and the older generations and those in power just seem to go “lalala” whilst making themselves riches, its pretty depressing
SpicyRaspberry on
ITT: People who seem to want to re-stigmatise mental health and bring us back to the 1950s.
Ok-Philosophy4182 on
This is statistically and biologically impossible.
Unless you have a welfare system set up to incentivise this kind of malingering that is.
awildshortcat on
Yes it’s called “look at where we are right now”. Cost of living crisis, housing crisis, job stagnation, wages being abysmal, etc,.
Like I’m sorry but looking at the current conditions of things, I’m not surprised that so many young people are mentally struggling. They have to live in a world that’s fundamentally incompatible with their existence.
40 Comments
That’s not very surprising. We are continually expanding definitions until the entire human condition will soon have some sort of medical label.
We also know telling people about things makes them more likely to believe it. This is the basis behind advertising and propaganda. This is true for mental health too. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X2300003X?utm_source=chatgpt.com
We’re fed up, lonely, and looking at a bleak economy as we enter the workforce. Sounds about right.
No, they don’t.
One in four *say* they do.
But that’s different.
Given that certain people spent all of 2020 complaining about kids mental health, maybe it’s time the government spent some money on kids mental health then.
It’s almost as if we’ve created a society for ourselves that is fundamentally incompatible with human biology.
Height is on a scale. Intelligence is on a scale. Every aspect of the human condition is on a scale. Autism, Asperger’s ,Narcissism, Psychopathy and every other human condition always existed, but we didn’t have a way to identify it and label it. Post WW1 and WW2 there was probably shocking incidence of PTSD, but we didn’t have a definition nor a label. Perhaps there was no more cancer than now, but we didn’t have the technology of MRIs or ultrasound or x-rays.or biopsies or blood tests. Starts will show us there is more cancer, but it’s not the whole story. People just died previously without ever having seen a doctor. Perhaps the current state of mental health has always been with us, only in previous eras there was no definite diagnosis and no label …?
Yeyyyy welcome to the club guys! Please choose a special interest or hobby to help you through dark times! There are many communities out there for the 25% of us and a lot of them too are suffering. Remember, just because the media makes us out to be a problem, doesn’t mean it’s true! Embrace your weird, look after yourself first before you look after others! And one day, these dark times will be over; don’t feel it’s your responsibility to fix soceity’s problems.
30 years ago many of my friends then were on antidpressants.
it’s like people are more open now about this, I don’t think the numbers are greater.
Like people in this country care about anyone’s mental health, we live in a ‘im alright jack’ society, not to mention everyone’s stuck with their head in their smartphones to give a damn.
Any kind of mental suffering now tends to be interpreted through a medical lens, and these diagnoses are subjective and unfalsifiable. This also coincides with the rise in victimhood culture and the age of infantilisation, in which people aren’t expected to have reserves of emotional resiliency, and do expect to have authority figures to protect them from hurt feelings. Because resilience isn’t being cultivated, that means that people are becoming fragile. In addition to becoming reliant on authorities to protect them from emotional injury inflicted by others, they also have the expectation that all of their everyday emotional distress can and should be medicated away, or soothed by some kind of talk therapy nostrum administered by the new clerisy that psychiatry has become.
In addition to the above, there is just the base reality that life is simply a pyramid scheme and a futile, unprofitable struggle in a meaningless universe. Because we are less religious as a society, we don’t have the same illusions to protect us from that truth than our ancestors had.
Sitting on a computer/console/phone and not leaving the house and meeting up with your friends in person is bad for you…? shocking
Most people will experience some sort of mental distress, low mood, or anxiety at various points during their life.
The vast majority of people won’t develop long-term mental health conditions that contribute to disability within social, occupational, and educational domains.
It’s important to maintain that distinction and not dilute the meaning of mental health diagnoses so that the people who really need support can access this and be prioritised.
I’m not one for dumping my life story but for once I think it’s relevant to the conversation.
I am one of those young people. I am 21(m) and have had the pleasure of dealing with mental health services in this country.Â
I have struggled with depression for years, but mostly out of pride tried to stick it out. Unfortunately as a result of not being able to handle myself I ended up regularly self harming and in the past two years had attempted to take my own life several times, overdosing on over the counter medication.Â
There is still a lot of stigma around mental health and because of this sometimes I wouldn’t even report to A&E even when I “panicked” and realised what I had done. The A&E local to me never knew what to do with someone like me, I would be left waiting in a corridor alone for up to 20 hours before a nurse would ask me leave once they decided I wasn’t going to drop dead then and there. There was a referral to a service called Therapy4u but I never would hear from them. Often the doctors wouldn’t listen to what I was telling them and would say things like “you aren’t that bad, you came here after all” and “you really shouldn’t do that, you’re being silly”. Naturally this wouldn’t end up helping my mindset about seeking help.
I think maybe it was my third or forth attempt (which didn’t go to plan, long story short a rail replacement bus service ended up derailing my plan to jump in front of a train leading me to overdose as a backup) before I spoke to a mental health nurse. That was the first time someone tried to help.Â
I would be looked after by a crisis team at home (hospital beds for inpatient care were full) and was constantly monitored for months. I was heavily medicated, which I still am, and not allowed to go anywhere alone. It was horrible and felt like I was trapped in my own home.
Eventually I would be given treatment through DBT and am now going to start employment again for the first time since my last suicide attempt. I’ve come a long way but I nearly died before getting the chance of getting help.
I am under no illusion that due to how young people are being illustrated as being soft and “making it up” has led to people like me being rejected from A&E. And if we are being blunt there will have been people lost that could of been treated.
I only got the chance because I got lucky. In a bit of irony my new start is what nearly ended me, I will be working on the railway! But the constant news stories about young people and mental health and the politicising of a health issue is shameful and all sides are guilty.Â
What I will say is this, the constant demonising and equivocating about mental health can and will make people question if their issues will be taken seriously. It will also make them more likely to be ignored or dismissed by medical staff when a young person presents themselves. This will cost lives. And for those who are still reading and are thinking of the financial cost, I will leave you with this:
Suicides are expensive to the tax payer, they automatically require a coroner’s inquiry and investigation. I used to have to play a part in those in my last job.
Social media is a major contributor to this.
When youre constantly bombarded with peoples “amazing lives” to compare against of course youre depressed.
The economy isn’t in a great position, and that can hit young people hard. However I do think many young people are lacking proper human-to-human connection, at least compared to my generation without phones and social medias.
I remember during the 1980s as a young lad, everything felt a bit easier to handle after a few pints and a nice evening walk with my friends. Young people definitely have it harder nowadays, but I think it’s worth thinking about.
Our politicians are very clearly lying and use their influence to remove as much money from the public and into the pockets of the rich. Our social services are gutted, there’s nothing for young people to do, the high streets look a complete shambles, there’s litter everywhere, the NHS is so underfunded but it’s somehow brown people’s fault, there’s very little to no hope or owning a home, wages have been stagnant for years. People have demonstrated and protested about things they genuinely care about and nothing changes. What’s the point?
i mean yeah, it’s a country fundamentally without hope or optimism and it’s getting worse every year. is finding life in Britain miserable a fault or just accurately interpreting how things are
My kids are both depressed. Both in their 20s, one has an admin job and earns ÂŁ26k and struggles to pay rent, let alone save. The other one has applied for 100’s of apprenticeships/jobs and is still unemployed living with me. He’s autistic and noone will give him a chance. He’s not stupid. He can drive, he just comes across different. His mates are in the same situation. They have no hope and I don’t have enough money to give out deposits or the connections to get jobs.
I’ve worked in CAMHS and it really can’t be emphasised enough how much the pandemic fucked young people up. So many case histories seemed to start there.
People being terminally online and growing up online is a huge factor.
I am going to be down voted for this but unfortunately it does appear that the GPs are giving a label to individuals who don’t deserve that label. It is understandable to be sad when a sad thing happens and we need to process that emotion not being given tablets with the thought “this will solve it”
Whilst working in a mental health team I sat with a nurse to do a mental health assessment on a young lady, she had been from the age of 18 given the diagnosis from the GP as having anxiety and depression. We spent time speaking about her past experiences, her income through benefits and how her life revolved around staying in and watching tiktok, YouTube and things like. We got to the point of speaking about finding meaningful work that would give her a sense of self worth. Her reply was “well…I mean I’m 26 now…I don’t really see the point in getting a job now”
There have been some individuals who I have spoken to of a younger generation however who have had some very traumatic incidents in their past and they actively want to work towards bettering themselves but sadly the treatment they need to do this is difficult to access on the NHS. I have also seen them beat that! I think upbringing has a lot to do with this. A younger person coming from working parents regardless of the job that parent has have a bigger drive to work, those who come from parents who are none workers this appears to be the norm not to work and to use numerous excuses as to why they cannot work. There is a drive in them to better themselves but there is a difficulty that the parents have not pushed them the way they should or sadly not been educated enough themselves to be able to encourage an education or self esteem because the parents have never had that themselves so it is difficult to give something they have never had. Also however there is a high expectations of what someone needs to be in society with the advances in social media that impacts a younger person regardless of their background.
I genuinely think there’s a generation that’s been raised to think society cares about mental health more than it does, which is probably enough, and finds the collision with reality itself alarming: it has limits, people still generally expect you to go to work, not everybody is a constantly giving wellspring of compassion. God knows I’m not, and I’ve put in my time before the mast helping people and know “why should I be? It’s tiring!” There’s a balance to be struck, mental health needs to be taken seriously but society also needs to be able to operate without dedicating itself 100% to being a 24/7 support network. People need to be equipped to help themselves not infantilised.
Imagine being surprised when we doom monger children so much about their futures, force them to sit indoors for 6 hours a day and pressurise them into taking annual tests before they can even tie their own shoes that they become ill.
You can’t put millions of children into poverty without consequences. Add to that the decimation of any support services and you create a perfect storm.
It’s the narrative, the further dissection, the ridiculous conclude, the political spin, the societal commentary
I’m sure it’s more than that. I’m one of them. For every reply I’ll assume you’re in the same situation as me. The world just seems depressing sometimes and some peoples brains are wired differently, like ADHD which I have.
I don’t blame them. Bills, taxes, mortgage chasing you every month.
Surely just being English is a mental condition in itself these days
considering ive never met a single human being without mental health problems, this is complete bs.
there are only two types of people, those who know they have issues and those who delude themselves.
Just because you have a mental health condition doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a burden to society and I hate this narrative. Just means you’ve got your own shit you’re dealing with.
1 in 4 has been consistent with the whole population for at least 10 years now. For younger people I’m surprised it’s not higher
Just search that Rat experiment where they are locked in small cage with water and a hardcore drug… and then when their given a huge environment with freedom and free entertainment.. and they no longer need that fix. Kind of says it all really….Â
Edit: God gave our world the freedom to do as we please.. to show us that without him we are a mess… and that we need him to live in peace. 🙏Â
That’s because 2 in 4 have suffered some sort of emotional or physical abuse, 3 in 4 live in poverty and 4 in 4 have a bleak outlook for their future.
People always did but we no name or meaningful way to describe, express or receive treatment … “oh you’re depressed.. “high spirited”, “slow”, “bad with your nerves”, “not a people person”, “stop being moody” It was always there.
Yes, it’s called living under end stage capitalism
Not terribly surprising, wages are awful, we stuck a load of children into isolation for years during COVID, no prospect of owning a house or even living independently due to rental prices, job market shrinking and even if you have a degree and do well for yourself more responsible roles barely come with more pay, more kids in poverty, crap NHS support. The list is endless, but I’m sure the media will find a way to blame it on the spoiled tiktok yoofs.
Well the world is fucked and the older generations and those in power just seem to go “lalala” whilst making themselves riches, its pretty depressing
ITT: People who seem to want to re-stigmatise mental health and bring us back to the 1950s.
This is statistically and biologically impossible.
Unless you have a welfare system set up to incentivise this kind of malingering that is.
Yes it’s called “look at where we are right now”. Cost of living crisis, housing crisis, job stagnation, wages being abysmal, etc,.
Like I’m sorry but looking at the current conditions of things, I’m not surprised that so many young people are mentally struggling. They have to live in a world that’s fundamentally incompatible with their existence.