The Youth Of Today And Good Mental Health

Welcome back David. Where have you been? Actually I do know where you’ve been – you’ve been chocca busy. That can’t be bad can it. Anyway, thanks for the article below David – The Youth Of Today And Good Mental Health. Without doubt a very hot topic nowadays.

Having read the article it seems that youths and their peers alike should have a look at this and take on board the excellent points raised by David.

Here’s the article

The Youth Of Today And Good Mental Health

“The need for good mental health has raised public awareness in recent months, which includes youths, who are facing challenges quite different to when I was at school some years ago.

Whilst the effects are often well published, such as anxiety, depression, self-harming, anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder, I want to know more about the causes. Because surely if the root cause to a problem is addressed and reduced if not removed, the symptoms will also disappear?

Earlier this year I was supporting a student whom we’ll call Maddie. I asked them for advice, and her admittedly short research revealed that:

• Two men every hour commit suicide which is an awful statistic and the largest cause of mortality for young people under 35.
• The issue is not spoken about enough-her question is why not)
• Mental health comes in different ways-with different symptoms
• It affects all different ages-young, old and in between

Maddie suffers from depression, and on asking what her triggers were, she advised:

• School
• Family issues
• Stress
• School exams

Be Aware Of These Symptoms

I also wanted to know about her own symptoms, in her own words:

“Not making an effort e.g. getting out of bed – overcomes you, you wake up and don’t want to get out of bed.  Is like…not wanting to do anything.”

Simply getting out of bed seems to be an ordeal. So we talked about sleep; quality and quantity.  Her answer suggested that either too little or too much sleep can affect her mindset and bring on the ’black dog’ as allegedly described by Winston Churchill.

Similarly, food intake could have an effect; too little or too much.

I guess we’re all striving to improve and attain a perfect life-whatever that looks like, but here we’re talking about the basic requirements.

It’s such a big subject that I won’t be able to address here in this single article, but I would like us to consider the challenges today’s youngsters-tomorrow’s adults are facing.

I guess school, family, stress and school exams are linked, an imbalance in one will affect the others?

Social Media and Good Mental Health

Social media, which I believe plays a big part in creating pressures, through a bombardment of information. Thereby creating a need to conform by actively subscribing to groups, with a constant advertising of elusive lifestyles, hence the referral to body  dysmorphic disorder-which affects both male and females.

It also provides the opportunity for ongoing bullying, once this stopped at the school gates but can continue 24/7. 

Smartphones have the ability to post tasteless pictures and videos-maybe including a record of physical bullying/violence-with words designed to annoy and upset and I believe a main contributor.

All of which can result in self-harming and worse. In 2015, 22% of young people aged 15 reported having ever self-harmed (Brooks et al., 2015), and young women in this age group were 3 times more likely to self-harm than young men (Hawton et al., 2002).

Good Mental Health – The Huge Importance Of Families

Families bear the brunt; I watched a recent news programme which suggested that in the Yorkshire area, violence by children towards their parents had tripled in the last three years.  Perhaps old school but I believe that the transfer of power from adults/teachers to children and also the increased attitude of ‘somebody else’s problem’ have only exacerbated the issue.  Respect starts at home, but are parents actively teaching their children the difference between right and wrong?

It seems to me that some parents abdicate the responsibility for their child’s upbringing and leave it to schools and the state in general. For example children attending school who haven’t been potty-trained…

Society relies on families to play their part in producing young adults who are ready to take their place and make their contribution. However it seems that children have the power to opt-out if they wish, often without consequences.

Does the increase in 1-parent families and therefore reduced parental interaction play a part?

I don’t recall ADHD being around when I was at school. Although to be fair, I would have been labelled thus if it had. I was a livewire, full of energy-too much at times, and spent my spare time playing football on a local green-getting dirty, cycling, climbing trees-scrumping apples, walking to and from school.  Why have deaths from asthma risen by a third in 10 years (Metro 09/08/19)?

According to www.asthma.org.uk we live in much cleaner, more urban conditions, with less contact with ‘friendly bacteria’, so with fewer childhood infections there’s lowered immunity, and more chance of allergies.

The Youth Of Today-What Can They Do To Help Themselves?

Sadly it seems that many of today’s youngsters have limited interests e.g. gaming in their bedrooms, with few real friends and exposure to bacteria-although there is exposure to carcinogens and poisons from an increase in private car ownership (me too although I cycle whenever possible).

It also saddens me to see parents in cars parked outside schools waiting for their children. With air-con on all year, to reduce heat in the summer and for warmth in the winter-are they so oblivious to the environmental damage they’re doing which will naturally affect all in the vicinity-including their own children?

Are we too quick to label children with ADD/ADHD/ODD which justifies their poor behaviour, and in some cases includes prescribed medication-which normally has side-effects?

Is it seen as an opportunity for schools to exclude children from mainstream classes. And for schools and parents to access additional funding-which should of course be used solely for the child’s benefit?

Are we creating as society of dependence on the state, with little self-reliance?

There are of course cases of children, who step up to the mark, are well-behaved and mannered. They achieve good grades, help others, and are concerned for the environment. All of which hearten me but I still feel genuine apprehension for future generations.

As a professional coach and through my work in schools I am able to support people through what has become known as talking therapy, using various techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – as the saying goes it’s good to talk… 

Good Mental Health Sources

Back to my original question regarding mental health challenges for today’s youngsters, what are the sources?

Family, Environment, Physical Health, Social Media as mentioned and also:

Political Decisions e.g. losing youth clubs, greenfield sites used for building.

Funding e.g. schools selling off sports fields.

Food and Drink-so many additives, so much fast food.  

Plastic Food Wrapping-is it really safe?

Gender and Sexuality.

Socio-Economic.

Ethnicity.

Learning Disabilities.

As Johnny Nash sang, ‘There Are More Questions Than Answers’. I know I’m only scratching the surface, so I would be very interested to know your thoughts perhaps personal experience (in full confidence) about this complex issue…

Best wishes for your good mental and physical health, 

David

David Jamieson

Professional Certified Coach and Hypnotherapist

info@davidjamiesoncoaching.co.uk

©davidjamiesoncoaching.co.uk 2019″

More Of David’s Articles

Thanks again David for this insightful article. A fair bit to digest that’s for sure. David has written a few other useful articles. You can read them HERE.

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