09 October,2020 03:50 PM IST | | Maitrai Agarwal
Photo used for representational purposes only.
Mental health conditions have seen an upsurge in the past decade. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 20 percent of the world's adolescents and children suffer from a mental health condition. Anxiety and depression, two of the most common mental health conditions, cost the global economy 1 trillion USD every year. In the Indian context, a study published in Lancet Psychiatry (2017) revealed that over 197 million Indians (roughly 14 percent of the total populace) struggled with various mental disorders.
Each year, the WHO celebrates World Mental Health Day on October 10 to combat stigma and spread awareness. The conversation surrounding mental health has gained traction during the pandemic owing to the myriad difficulties we've all had to adapt to and cope with: isolation, anxiety, insecurities, and grief, to name a few. The essential role of mental health in achieving global development goals alongside personal wellbeing is being acknowledged like never before.
Millennials are increasingly talking about suffering from anxiety, stress, and depression owing to a number of reasons ranging from workplace, family, financial burden, politics, to climate change. Mental Health Counselor and Founder of Enso Wellness, Arouba Kabir explains, "Millennials today have innumerable stimuli around them. They are expected to hold equanimity in all the areas of their life- family, career, relationships, spirituality, political correctness, and more."
Below, we list major factors impacting millennial mental health:
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Loneliness
Data from YouGov suggests that Millennials feel much lonelier than their Baby Boomer and Gen X counterparts. This can be attributed to people marrying at a later stage and living alone or to the excessive use of technology. Remember when you meet a friend over dinner but you both simply cannot stop checking your phones? The more time we spend engaging with technology, the less we spend developing meaningful connections with those around us. "This often leads to Millennials developing feelings that no one would understand them which pushes them deeper into their nest to a stage where they don't even attempt to share their thoughts with others. They eventually get caught in their spiral of thoughts", said Arouba.
Depression
According to the WHO, over 264 million people suffer from depression globally. The widespread illness is rooted in a complex interaction of psychological, biological, and social factors. In the case of Millennials, depression diagnoses have increased by 47 percent as per a blue cross blue shield report. "A spike in the cases of depression among Millennials can be attributed to the feeling of not being good enough, the etiology for this feeling might be varied but the outcome is a feeling of despair and loss of hope. Failed relationships, not bagging a certain job, being rejected from their dream university are few events that may contribute to this feeling. Depression affects the thought process and induces a cycle of negative thoughts", explained Arouba.
Social Media
An experimental study from the University of Pennsylvania concluded that social media usage increases loneliness and depression. In this study, Psychologist Melissa Hunt established a causal link between time spent on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat and decreased wellbeing. One of the major reasons behind this is the dopamine rush we get when we receive acknowledgment and attention on social media (in the form of likes, comments, and more). Scientists have found that such dopamine kicks eventually trigger an addiction cycle similar to drugs.
The lack of safe spaces is another problem of what can become a modern-day echo chamber. Everyone follows the herd when it comes to an opinion. This acts as a barrier to leading our authentic lives and hampers our mental health.
Workplace
The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey (2020) revealed that 44 percent of Millennials reported they felt stressed or anxious almost all the time. In the Indian context, the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index found that two in five (39 percent) professionals are experiencing increased stress or anxiety due to COVID-19. "The mounting competition in the workplace is astounding enough to block their minds with anxiousness and fear. This may lead to excessive burnout", said Arouba. Failure to have a work-life balance, uncertainty about long term financial futures, career prospects, day-to-day finances, and the welfare of their families are all major contributors to poor mental health.
Fear of Missing Out- FOMO
Millennial perception is shaped consciously and subconsciously by the unrealistic standards of popular media. Popular trends tell us how to live our lives, what to eat, what to wear, where to go, what to do, and more. Arouba explained, "There are a thousand ways in which society signals and expects Millennials to live. A particular culture might tell them to look a certain way and another culture would tell them to chase a particular dream. In such a societal situation, choosing between right and wrong often leads them to lose their vision, their dreams, and their inner voice. Not to mention, the fast-paced life leaves the individual thinking they have to make decisions as soon as possible, or they will miss out."
If you are someone or know someone who has been suffering from mental health issues, know that many conditions can be treated with evidence-based, timely, and low-cost interventions. However, unless we acknowledge mental health conditions as a serious public health problem and treat them as such, the stigma will persist. The link between physical health and mental health illnesses such as depression has been well established. Don't be afraid to seek professional help just like you would for an injury or disease.
You can reach out to these 24/7 helplines to seek support. Callers can speak anonymously to professionals and get the help they need.
Aasra
+91- 9820466726
Fortis Stress Helpline (16 languages)
+91-8376804102
Vandrevala Foundation
+91-7304599836, +91-7304599837, 18602662345
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