Social Media And The Youth Mental Health Crisis

During the twenty years that I worked in the mental health field, I saw many young people with behavioral, mental, and emotional health issues. There are some tragic stories that I can't forget.

As adults who use social media, it is our responsibility to raise awareness about this growing crisis. Please share this article with your friends, contacts, and networks.

I remember one young lady from her brief stay in a psychiatric unit. She had everything the world could offer - she was very attractive, had a family who cared about her, and a boyfriend who loved her. The family was well off and she had no financial worries.

The day after she was released from the hospital she drove her car into the back of a large truck, at high speed, and her life ended in less than a minute. It was a brutal way to commit suicide.

For some reason, she felt her life had no value and ended it rather than face the future. Her self-loathing had gotten the best of her.

I recall a young man who had been in the psych unit for a few weeks, suffering from depression and suicidal thinking. It seemed that he suddenly made remarkable progress. His demeanor had brightened and it seemed that the dark cloud of despair had lifted. He acted like a different person. I remember talking to him just before his discharge and he said he had it all figured out, that his problems were over.

Two days after his discharge from the mental health unit he committed suicide. Indeed, he had figured it out. He would end his life and there would be no more problems.

From the National Institutes Of Health (NIH):

"Nearly 20% of children and young people ages 3-17 in the United States have a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, and suicidal behaviors among high school students increased by more than 40% in the decade before 2019. Mental health challenges were the leading cause of death and disability in this age group. These trends were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic."

During the pandemic, the use of social media increased and continues to increase, year after year.

As social media usage increases, so does the mental health crisis. The problem is so bad that the Surgeon General is asking that a tobacco-like warning label be placed on social media websites.

Parents have a responsibility to become more knowledgeable and proactive to protect the well-being of their children.

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