In 2024, one in seven children aged 10 to 19 are impacted by mental health conditions and behavioral disorders. While mental health awareness is far more commonplace in the media than in previous decades, psychiatric and mental disorders are still prevalent within our society and often highly stigmatized. In fact, symptoms of both anxiety and depression are rising rapidly in the youth today, doubling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stigma surrounding the topic often causes misinformation, and many mental health services remain unavailable, especially to adolescents. This article will discuss the importance of mental health awareness, especially for teenagers, and how it is affected by social media and the stigma surrounding it.
The Influence of Social Media
Social media is a useful and powerful tool to disseminate information on a multitude of topics, including that of mental health. It can aid people in sharing their experiences, provide access to information, and create safe spaces for adolescents to express themselves online. However, despite a number of positive possibilities, studies indicate a link between social media use and a higher rate of anxiety and depression in teenagers and even preadolescents. In research from 2023, studies find that the average teenager (between the ages 13 and 18) uses social media for around 4.8 hours a day, and spends over 7 hours on their screens a day, a marked increase from prior years.
Furthermore, much of the media we consume daily—ranging from books to TV shows— romanticize or often ignore disorders and abuse, depicting love as a miraculous cure-all instead of seeking aid from professionals. While awareness of these issues within the media is crucial for progress to be made regarding the topic, many movies, books, and content creators do not promote it in an ethical manner. For example, the series Twilight has sold over 160 million books since 2022, and portrays a deeply insecure protagonist, Bella, who becomes stalked and isolated from her family and friends by a romanticized abuser, while her own mental state grows worse. This kind of content is often sold under the labels of romance, blurring the lines of healthy boundaries, which can negatively influence younger readers.
Stigmas Surrounding Mental Health
The stigmas surrounding mental health—both cultural and otherwise—often discourage seeking help from others and can prevent young children and teenagers from receiving the aid they need. Furthermore, that standpoint on mental health, especially when iterated by family members and guardians, can stem from a lack of education provided by previous, older generations. In fact, many people can remain trapped in the same cycles of fear and misinformation, believing that symptoms are signs of weakness. Traditional ideals and cultural values can often stand in the way of seeking support, often due to a lack of education on the topic, misinterpretation of symptoms as signs of laziness or stubbornness, and a disbelief in the conditions as a whole. This is especially true in some Asian and other traditional communities, with Asian Americans standing as the group least likely to seek help with mental health in the United States.
Unfortunately, other obstacles also stand in the way of individuals seeking mental support. Access to professional psychiatry services is extremely important, especially with the misinformation and stigmas already existing both on and offline. For example, in Shanghai, there are only 1100 psychiatrists, but with a population of over 24 million people in the city. These statistics draw attention to the ever-evident truth: this lack of access to mental health services means that struggling individuals cannot get the support they need, which can often lead to people suffering in silence, or turning to unhealthy coping methods such as self-harm.
The importance of available mental health services cannot be stressed enough—proper support in this matter is crucial to the well-being of the average teen. To achieve it, there are many obstacles in place, such as the seemingly never-ending stigma around the topic and the lack of information, or plentiful misinformation, in the media. Reducing misinformation, such as utilizing the media to portray mental health issues in a realistic and healthy manner, and taking steps to make support more accessible, are both necessary for a brighter future regarding this topic. The topic of education and the breaking of stigmas concerning mental health can help individuals recognize their symptoms and seek help, and create better futures for coming generations.
written by Charlotte Hung
