The Kids Are Not Alright: My Exploration of the Deteriorating Mental Health of Our Youth

This post is about our kids and the increasing data suggesting that they are not okay. If you look at most graphs used as indicators for children's mental health, it's a pretty bleak picture. Various metrics, from self-harm, new diagnoses, and levels of self-reported depression to eating disorders and suicides, all point toward the same conclusion: kids are not okay.

I have been trying to understand the contributing factors and determine how best to change this worrisome trend.

A few years ago, Christian Madsbjerg showed me the graph below, illustrating the increase in self-harm since the creation of Instagram. This started a personal journey to understand why kids are seemingly less happy. The most comprehensive and balanced data I found is a massive meta-study by Haidt, J., & Twenge, J. (ongoing). Adolescent mood disorders since 2010: A collaborative review. There are thousands of pages. Link to studies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1diMvsMeRphUH7E6D1d_J7R6WbDdgnzFHDHPx9HXzR5o/edit

Based on books and meta-analyses, I have developed eight thesis working theses on why kids are struggling. We can use these problem statements as a basis for finding solutions. Some are related to the increased use of smartphones, specifically the use of social media, while others are related to the environment and how society has changed its attitude toward kids.

Potential Reasons for the Decline in Children's Mental Health:

• Cyberbullying: It’s hard for kids to escape cyberbullies, as they have their phones with them at all times. Before smartphones, if someone made fun of you, there was sometimes the option to remove yourself from the situation. Phones make it much harder for kids to escape bullies, and it seems like people are meaner to others if they are not speaking to them in person.

• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Social media exacerbates the fear of missing out, causing kids to feel isolated or unaccepted by their peers.

• Decreased Physical Activity: With fewer kids participating in sports, they miss out on the mental health benefits of physical activity. Regular exercise is known to improve mood and overall well-being.

• Overprotected Childhood: Helicopter parenting and overscheduled kids can make the transition from childhood to young adulthood difficult. Sheltered from mistakes and responsibilities, children may struggle to adapt to the challenges and decisions they face once they move away from their parents.

• Early Onset of Puberty: Some experts believe that girls are entering puberty at younger ages due to a variety of factors, including improved nutrition and healthcare, child obesity and increased exposure to environmental hormones. The physical and emotional changes, coupled with social difficulties, contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, early puberty is associated with a higher levels of strained parent-child relationships, and accelerated identity development, all of which can affect a child's mental well-being.

• Lack of Sleep: Many kids are not getting the recommended 9-12 hours of sleep per night. Restless minds and phone notifications lead to problems with mood, behavior, and focus.

• Insufficient Resources: Teachers, parents, and social workers often lack the tools and resources to help kids with mental health issues. More support is required, but it's unclear whether the responsibility falls on schools, parents, or local councils.

• Decreased In-Person Interaction: The prevalence of smartphones has replaced many in-person activities, leading to fewer opportunities for meaningful social connections. Additionally, fewer families are engaged in religion or community.

I wish this post came with amazing suggestions on how to fix it all. It doesn't.

My personal tool for solving problems is entrepreneurship. I am still early in coming up with something good in this space. The only concrete idea I have currently is to use generative AI to make digital therapists to spread access to methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I made a simple chatbot (see below) that I use to get better at applying and teaching those tools and frameworks to my own kids. However, if you see good startups in this space, that are looking for financing, or know entrepreneurs who want to build in this space - then please send them my way.

Luckily, it’s on a lot of people's minds, with solutions ranging from political to technical to advisory. I follow with great interest the increasing political focus this subject is getting and am curious how some of the new laws that are being made will play out (like Utah's new, very restrictive laws and UK and California’s social media design laws; check The New York Times podcast on that). https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/27/podcasts/the-daily/social-media-instagram-tiktok-utah-ban.html

(Homemade CBT bot that helps me offer advice to my 9-year-old)