A mental health crisis is tearing through our youth but most of us rarely stop to wonder why. I posed this very question to students on the University of Delaware campus and unsurprisingly came across a multitude of answers. I say unsurprisingly because it seems that no one truly understands why these days suicides, mass shootings, depression, and crippling anxiety are common occurrences. 

Social media is a unique characteristic of younger generations. It is not uncommon to hear a parent or teacher reflect on how grateful they are to have grown up in a generation without constant photos, videos, and judgement. Many students have a similar response when asked about social media, even though we still choose to use it. “You feel like a failure because you don’t have the life of that billionaire or model, and you don’t perceive yourself as good enough” (Jimmy Rich). It seems that as the users of these social media platforms, we understand the consequences but we still cannot get enough. We fear we will miss out if we do not keep up with our online personas, likely because “Humans fear social rejection” (Max Ufberg). This fear of fitting in encourages us to use the apps, and is also what haunts us while we are on them. “People depend on likes and followers, we need to feel seen” (Cameron Peters). 

However, some argue that social media acts as a scapegoat for problems that are much harder to face. The intense pressure students feel to succeed in school is a feeling that has evolved since our parents time. A college degree no longer guarantees a suitable career; or you may end up so far in debt from student loans that you could have been making more money without the diploma. “Jobs require more now… you have to work so hard in your first four years because now it’s all about graduate school” (Sarah Lyons). Students fear that their best will never be good enough in today’s competitive job market. 

It is a bit scary that we cannot seem to pinpoint exactly why younger generations have had such a difficult time, and even scarier that we cannot seem to stop it. However, it is encouraging to see the strides we have made in asking for help and giving it. “Many people aren’t afraid anymore to speak up when they are struggling with their mental health” (Cameron Peters). It seems that we are moving in the right direction, or at least trying to.