Young People in Crisis: Understanding the Roots of Their Unhappiness

Young people are facing unprecedented challenges, leading to feelings of deep sadness and depression. The core of the issue isn't merely anxiety, social media addiction, loneliness, or unemployment; the most alarming aspect is how these circumstances have caught them off guard. Just a few years ago, many did not foresee such struggles.

Decline in Youth Happiness

A study published in August in the U.S. scientific journal PLOS One highlights a troubling trend: young people are now the most dissatisfied age group. Historically, happiness levels followed a predictable curve, peaking in childhood and youth, dipping in middle age, and rising again in later years. However, youth, formerly among the happiest groups, are now reporting a decline in happiness, especially those aged 12 to 24. This conclusion is based on surveys from millions of individuals across over 40 countries, making the trend difficult to dispute.

Changing Perspectives on Well-Being

Critics may label this generation “overly sensitive,” often referring to them as the “snowflake generation.” Yet, many young individuals engage with therapy more frequently than previous generations and discuss mental health issues openly, using terms like OCD, ADHD, burnout, and imposter syndrome. Alejandro Cencerrado, a physicist and analyst at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, states that the concept of happiness varies significantly across generations. He notes that individuals born in the early 20th century might not have recognized depression despite facing dire circumstances.

The Evolving Landscape of Happiness Measurement

Systematic measures of happiness began in the 1970s, with Bhutan introducing the Gross National Happiness index in 1972. Since then, various surveys, including the World Values Survey, have sought to quantify life satisfaction. Despite this progress, Cencerrado points out a paradox: the more we obsess over measuring happiness, the more aware we become of mental health issues like depression.

Objective data reinforces concerns about youth mental health. For instance, the suicide rate among U.S. teenagers aged 12 to 17 increased by 70% between 2008 and 2020. Similarly, in Spain, there was a rise from 1.99 to 2.94 deaths per 100,000 young people aged 15 to 19 from 2011 to 2022. Additionally, hospital admissions for mental health disorders among minors and increased use of psychiatric drugs, particularly antidepressants for teenagers in the U.K., underscore these alarming trends.

Identifying Contributing Factors

The PLOS One report indicates that youth unhappiness began to surge around 2012. Sociologist Jonathan Haidt attributes this alarming trend to the rise of social media and smartphones. He emphasizes that substantial evidence links these technologies to deteriorating mental health among young people, leading to issues such as depression, anxiety, and self-harm.

Haidt further explains that social media has fundamentally altered how young individuals interact, leading to a potential “network and cohort effect.” If a teenager were to disengage from social platforms to protect their mental health, they might feel even worse due to isolation from their peers. Furthermore, essential wellness factors, like sleep, are increasingly disrupted by screen time. In Spain, 83% of young adults aged 18 to 34 exhibit insomnia symptoms, with chronic disorder criteria met by around 13% of this group.

The Impact of Overprotection and Societal Expectations

Haidt suggests that parental overprotectiveness, coupled with this omnipresent digital exposure, exacerbates the issue. Children today experience reduced opportunities for unsupervised play, crucial for developing resilience and autonomy. This environment fosters both “overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual one,” leaving young people vulnerable.

Comments from Jesús G. Maestro, a philosopher and literature professor, reflect a sentiment echoed in classrooms. He asserts that millennials are not overprotected but rather the most vulnerable generation, lacking essential life skills while facing overwhelming online pressures. Maestro argues that the idealism of the previous generation has left young people disillusioned, as many were raised with expectations of a prosperous future that now seem unattainable.

Economic Factors and Disillusionment

Today's young individuals face dire economic realities. The National Statistics Institute (INE) in Spain reports that poverty rates for young people have risen to 21%, while for children, it stands at 29%. In contrast, those of retirement age have seen their poverty risk decline. Youth unemployment remains at approximately 25%, even as it has decreased from previous years.

Sociologist Patricia Castro highlights a pervasive sense of discouragement among youths, contemplating lost hope that education and hard work could improve their circumstances. Social mobility remains limited, with over 35% of income inequality linked to familial socioeconomic status, among the highest figures in the OECD.

Experiencing a “light nihilism,” young people are increasingly disenchanted and feel that societal pressures wrongly place responsibility for their struggles onto them. This perspective contributes to a fractured sense of community, diminishing their collective ability to enact change.

Potential Solutions and Future Directions

Experts propose diverse strategies to counteract youth unhappiness, primarily emphasizing the importance of access to mental health resources. However, Spain's lack of mental health professionals for children underscores the urgency for improvements. Haidt suggests delaying social media access until age 14, anticipating potential detrimental consequences from the rise of artificial intelligence.

For Castro, fostering social bonds and community engagement could help restore feelings of solidarity among young individuals. Maestro proposes a return to literature as a form of solace and guidance, citing the lessons from Don Quixote about the dangers of idealism.

These multifaceted challenges illustrate the complexities facing today's youth, emphasizing the need for informed interventions to enhance their well-being.