by Miriam Meir
Mental Health in the United States is deteriorating fairly rapidly.
Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially in the younger age bracket, are continuing to rise every year, the latest federal data shows.
Mental Health America released their findings for 2024. Rates of adults who've experienced a mental illness in the last year are at 24%.
1 in 5 youth had a major depressive event in the past year. 1 out of 4 teenage girls rate themselves as being depressed. That's 25%! Additionally, 5% of adults and 13% of youth had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.
According to recent CDC data, rates of depression among all age groups have increased by 60% in the last decade. Specifically, the prevalence of depression in individuals aged 12 and older nearly doubled between 2015 and 2021-2023.
A Gallup poll revealed that women have a significantly higher level of lifetime depression at 36.7% as compared to men at 20.4%. The highest rate of current depression in an age group is 24.6% for adults aged 18 to 29. This marked a sharp increase from only 13% in 2017.
According to the Gallop poll, Young adults were the most affected: More than a quarter (26.6%) of people ages 18 through 29 said they'd struggled with anxiety symptoms over the prior two weeks.
The percentage of U.S. adults who report having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lifetime has reached 29.0%, nearly 10 percentage points higher than in 2015. The percentage of Americans who currently have or are being treated for depression has also increased, to 17.8%. Both rates are the highest recorded by Gallup since it began measuring depression using the current form of data collection in 2015.
What is happening to our mental health?
Studies have found that internet use, specifically social media use, is fueling feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety among our youth and adults of all ages, specifically women and young adults.
According to the Pew Research Center, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the U.S. use social media.
Starting back in 2012, we see a sharp spike 50-100% in depression, anxiety, and self-harm in girls. In almost all 3 categories a doubling of these risks around that time.
In boys the elevation started earlier in 2009-, not as sharp a rise but a steady rise.
These figures directly correlate to the rise of social media.
Social media is addictive. When we use it activates dopamine, the "feel good" chemical, the brain's reward center.
The platforms are designed to show us personalized content that they know will keep us on the apps.
This is one of the reasons why social media is associated with anxiety, depression , and even physical ailments.
In 2023, 30 states filed a federal lawsuit against Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, alleging the platforms’ apps are designed to be addictive and harm children’s mental health. The case is still pending.
Although our youth are the hardest hit, the impact on adults is immense as well.
With hours and hours of time wasted every day on social media platforms like youtube, men find themselves more distanced from family and friends, with feelings of lethargy and lack of personal fulfillment. Women find themselves comparing their lives with those of social media influencers who portray picture perfect family lives, designer homes, and of course the "perfect" figures. Feelings of depression, loneliness, inadequacy and self doubt are the end result.
It's a societal problem, a social addiction for which society as a whole and especially our teens and young adults will pay a heavy price, yet nothing is being done to raise awareness of the enormity of this problem, let alone come up with real solutions.
The Mental Health Risk that no one is addressing
Mounting body of research indicates that the more social media we use the more we put our mental health at risk.
Last month, the American Psychological Association and the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning to teens, parents and policymakers concerning this phenomenon. But its not limited to teens and youth. The effects might not be as immediately obvious with adults, but it doesn't make it less true.
Researchers at Iowa State University conducted a study of 230 college students. Half of them limited their social media use to 30 minutes per day for 2 weeks. They were sent a daily reminder to limit their social media use. The researchers found that limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day significantly lowered anxiety, depression, loneliness, and fear of missing out. This in just 2 weeks!
They also were more excited about their lives.
“It surprised me to find that participants’ well-being did not only improve in one dimension but in all of them. I was excited to learn that such a simple intervention of sending a daily reminder can motivate people to change their behavior and improve their social media habits.” says Ella Faulhaber , lead author of the paper .
Why Social Media is so harmful to mental health
Social media promotes these negative emotions:
1) Inadequacy about your life or appearance . When we are scrolling through airbrushed photos, that we know are filtered, it doesn't lessen the disappointment in our less "perfect" figures. Or when friends post about their vacations, designer homes, children, etc...., it can trigger our insecurities and feelings of inadequacy.
2) Fear of missing out (FOMO) - social media triggers fomo. The fear of missing out or FOMO, triggers within us the desire to constantly check other peoples status updates etc...
3) Isolation . A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases feelings of loneliness .
4) Depression and anxiety . - face to face interactions release feel good hormones that we don't release with online interactions. Online texting or messaging doesn't breed the same closeness as getting together in person.
- Face-to-face contact, including physical gestures like handshakes or hugs, triggers the release of oxytocin, often called the "bonding hormone". Oxytocin promotes trust, empathy, and feelings of attachment, playing a critical role in human connection and stress reduction.
- Dopamine and Serotonin: Positive social interactions, particularly in-person, also contribute to the release of dopamine and serotonin, which are linked to pleasure, reward, and positive mood. This contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being.
- Reduced Cortisol: Increased social contact has been shown to dampen cortisol, the hormone released during stress. Face-to-face interactions can be particularly effective in counteracting the "fight-or-flight" response associated with stress.
Getting out in the real world and socializing or engaging with others in person, as opposed to online, can help us to combat feelings of depression and anxiety.
5) Cyberbullying. This is particularly concerning with teens, with 10 percent of teens report being bullied on social media. I believe the number is higher. A single mean post can reach hundreds if not thousands of teens within minutes. I've seen teen friends get into a typical fight. In a moment of anger, one of them retaliated by posting something along the lines "_____ should just kill herself." The post went viral with hundreds of girls seeing it within a day. Mean comments towards the girl started pouring in. The friend regretted her poor decision, but the damage was already done.
What we can do
1) Limit social media use- Adults: start by setting a timer and really pay attention to how much time you're spending on social media. Then limit use and replace it with more positive fulfilling activities.
Teens - most teens will not willfully limit social media use, so its important for parents to substitute social media time by spending real quality time with their teens, whether its a shared hobby, going shopping together, etc.. the online world is a lonely place and teens don't have it easy. Family relationships are more important than ever in todays world.
2) In person social interactions- put the phones and computers away and relate to your family/friends without distractions for at least 1 hour per day.
3) In person activities- engage in social activities and social hobbies at least twice per week, this could include dance, art, community events etc...
4) Contribute to Society- we all have what to give to others. The isolation caused by social media addiction can be combatted by promoting a sense of oneness and community through contribution.
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