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Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, issued a 53-page report on Tuesday that said the COVID-19 outbreak has contributed to the stresses young people face, which has led to a “mental health crisis.”
The Trends Journal has long warned that the tendency for “public health officials” has been to try and scare the public into submission when it comes to coronavirus lockdowns and vaccine mandates. (See: “MENTALLY ILL POLITICIANS CREATING MENTAL ILLNESS,” “LOCKDOWN LUNACY CREATING ‘MENTAL HEALTH PANDEMIC,’” and “COVID LOCKDOWN: MENTAL ILLNESS BLUES.”
Murthy’s public advisory sought to identify a “youth mental health crisis” after the national average of weekly ER visits by teens who tried to kill themselves increased 40 percent in February and March 2021, compared to 2019. The Tampa Bay Times reported that the epidemic’s death toll, concerns about money, and isolation have all contributed to the stress of today’s life. The study said the outbreak exacerbated a trend that was already gaining steam before 2020. (See: “AMERICA IS HAVING A MENTAL BREAKDOWN.”)
We reported in 2019 that the latest research from the National Institute of Mental Health showed that over 46 million American adults are suffering some form of anxiety disorder. Research from the American Psychological Association concluded that two main causes of increased levels of mental distress among younger people are time spent on digital media and lack of sleep.
Some experts say young people in the country are also exposed to social media, which could also play a role in the general feeling of hopelessness.
“Young people are bombarded with messages through the media and popular culture that erode their sense of self-worth—telling them they are not good looking enough, popular enough, smart enough, or rich enough,” Murthy wrote, according to The New York Times. “That comes as progress on legitimate, and distressing, issues like climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, the opioid epidemic and gun violence feels too slow.”
Bonnie Nagel, a pediatric neuropsychologist from Oregon University, told the paper that many adolescents have the misguided assumption that they will satisfy their need for a connection by turning to social media, only to realize that they are not satisfied.
“I don’t think it is a genuine human connection when talking to somebody with a fake façade online,” she told the paper.
In early 2021, emergency department visits in the U.S. for suspected suicide attempts saw a 51 percent jump for adolescent girls, while their male peers saw a four percent increase, according to the report.
“It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place,” Murthy wrote. “Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real, and they are widespread. But most importantly, they are treatable, and often preventable.”
TREND FORECAST: We forecast the true mental toll on young people, who are filled with energy and a lust for life and are being forced to live locked-down lives, will have long-lasting negative implications.
While much of their lives are going down, this demographic hungers for new messages, sounds, styles, and products to lift their spirits and motivate positive ambitions and desires. Thus, there are very positive OnTrendpreneur® opportunities to fill this gigantic market void.