The under-25 generation is sometimes referred to as the “anxious generation” because 15-20% of young people are said to suffer from anxiety disorders.
Obviously, many factors of mental he alth, family situation, school environment, lifestyle and many other things are involved. But among the main stressors mentioned in the documentary titled “
Anxious Generation”, we talk about digital.
Since almost all young people now have a phone in their hands, let's think about the worst inflicted on them.
Instagram: beautiful, good, cheap
For young people, Instagram is the new Facebook. Everything is there, stress level. We find there the impression of having a less interesting life than the others, the sleep amputated by the conversations that drag on until the wee hours of the morning and the murderous comments under the publications.
Except to add to it all, Instagram worships beauty and peer approval. What does it mean, a selfie that receives no Like? Why is Éliane followed by 1000 people while Maélie is only followed by 63? What's wrongwith me? Am I not pretty enough? Not funny enough? Not traveling enough?
The network is so anxiety-inducing, in fact, that a study conducted by the Young He alth Movement (YHM) in 2017 confirms that it is one of the worst platforms for young adult mental he alth. source
Obviously, marketing follows right behind. Advertisements for body shapers that make you look slimmer, makeup, and plastic surgery are all over Instagram. Like what, instead of accepting yourself, you can invest to change yourself.
In fact, recently, because they were tired of this pressure, influencers decided to unsubscribe from several accounts that made them unhappy.
Those who aren't ready to quit Instagram, but are tired of feeling bad, maybe should start there too. Hopefully, ad suggestions will also change.
Fortnite: when the desire to play wakes us up at night
Fortnite is very popular, to say the least. Ask anyone to name a video game, they will name Fortnite. For those who don't play anything, Fortnite is like Candy Crush. The game we all know about.
It must be said that 250 million people were playing Fortnite a few months ago. Which puts it on the same level as games like Tetris or Minecraft. Plus, it's free. Why not?
Well, we do without it if Fortnite creates an obsession. Some young people find it so hard tostop playing, that a class action lawsuit will likely be brought against the game's creators by Montreal law firm CaLex. And who says obsession, says anxiety. source
The comments section
Not so long ago, it had to be very well known for someone's opinion to be in the public square. Today, it is enough to say a foolish thing or that someone considers it to be foolishness.
See, in the age of likes, even opinions have fans. And these same fans form clans.
These clans encourage their allies and attack their detractors as a group. They sometimes take screenshots, humiliate in public. A user can even find himself on the front page of a newspaper if the conversation makes enough noise.
In adolescence, when you are not sure of anything and you are just beginning to have a we alth of knowledge allowing you to express your opinion, this kind of risk is anxiety-provoking to say the least.
Don't do this, don't do that
The pressure to do well is part of a good education, even if it does not always please children. Already at the time of our parents, Jacques Dutronc sang it.
There has always been an order of things. You learn to walk, you learn to stand up straight, you learn to be polite and you learn to be wary of strangers when you are old enough to go out alone.
Today, this mistrust comes much earlier and it enters directly into children's games.
"Don't clickon anything, you will catch a virus”
“Close the camera, mean people might be watching you”
“Don't give information to your playmates, they might 'use it to hurt you'“NEVER meet anyone you met on the internet. You think it's little Camille, but in reality, it may be Jean-Luc, a 50-year-old madman. »
Admit that at 8 years old, it would make the strongest of us paranoid and stressed.
Solutions
To reduce this stress, there are not thirty-six solutions, you have to spend time without a screen. Teens need to relearn how to go to bed without having their hands on their cellphones. Children need to relearn how to talk to the family during meals. We have to get used to walking outside without feeling obliged to post photos. It's pretty easy when you're well accompanied.
When it comes to screen time, you should aim for quality, not quantity. There is everything on the networks: art, comedy, quality series and intelligent games. It's about finding them. And when you can't find them, I'll be here to help.
