According to Victoria Prooday, Occupational Therapist & writer at YourOT.com, “There is a growing phenomenon developing right now concerning children and teens, especially girls. Researchers have been releasing alarming statistics on a sharp and steady increase in kids’ mental illness and suicide, which is now reaching epidemic proportions.” Studies cite age 10 and up as the most affected.
Dr. Jean Twenge, author of iGen started doing research 30 years ago on generational differences. By 2011 -2012, when over 50% of children had IPhones, she saw an immediate correlation to the increase in teen depression and suicide
• This was the year that more kids started to say that they felt “sad, hopeless, useless… that they couldn’t do anything right (depression)”
• They felt left-out and lonely
• There was a 50% increase in a clinical level depression between 2011-2015
• A substantial increase in suicide rate
As of 2018:
• 1 in 5 teens has emotional problems
• 37% increase in teen depression
• 200% increase in the suicide rate in kids 10-14 years old
Studies are correlating this disturbing shift to mainstream popularity of cell phones and social media websites
According to researchers, there are several reasons for children's self-perception to be affected:
- When a child does not have a phone, they become ostracized
- Those with phones can readily see when they are being shunned or excluded from group activities and parties
- With everyday use of cell phones, children and teens have lost their privacy. Anyone can take a photo of them anywhere, in any private situation, and display it to the world. Anyone can write anything about them, true or false, and place it on the internet. When they make a mistake and say something foolish, it is there for the world to see
Cell phones readily provide cruel public humiliation. And there is no escape. Cyber-bullying is very common and children and teens are helpless to do anything about it. Children feel humiliated, insecure, afraid, helpless, and ostracized
What children hear becomes their inner voice, which can affect their ability to succeed, thrive, and relate to others for an entire lifetime. And there is little that parents can do
Despite the rise in teen depression, the study, which analyzed data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, reported that there isn’t a corresponding increase in mental health treatment for adolescents and young adults. Researchers said this is an indication that there is a growing number of young people who are under-treated or not treated at all for their symptoms
Enlightened Feelings has committed to helping parents who want to help their children. We have created gentle happy essences especially for the specific emotional needs of children and teens
We cannot change or fix what is happening with technology. But, we can help children to feel more secure in themselves and less affected by the unfriendly world around them
#childsuicide #teensuicide #teendepression #stopbullying