Dear friends,
For a long time, and especially recently, I have been grappling with this topic in my mind and in my everyday life. At this point in time, there is no arguing that there is a mental health epidemic, not just within the United States, but within the entire world.
I have several hypotheses I have formed about why mental health has become such a widespread issue, but I wanted to hear other people's perspectives as well.
One, the pandemic has accelerated the issue and has exacerbated it to the point where it needs attention NOW. The grief, fear, confusion, pain, anxiety, stress, loss, and more that people have felt has been too much for some to bear. Not to mention, increased isolation during lockdowns, which some countries are experiencing again and again, and the isolation individuals experience during quarantine or exposure may be another attributing factor for current mental health decline.
Two, our brains cannot keep up with the pace at which life changes nor the information thrown at us from every angle, so mental health has declined due to a lack of positive coping skills, strong support networks, and a variety of other factors (i.e., pandemic, isolation, social media, lack of adequate mental health treatment, stigmas, etc.).
Three, the lack of adequate mental healthcare and stigmas surrounding mental health treatment has finally caught up to our society. Not to mention, the pandemic has lead to staffing shortages and people are pushing off getting help when they need it.
Once again, the answer with most psychological questions are "it depends" which can be difficult when determining a true "cause" of the issues at hand.
Not to mention, every person is different, including the brain, which means that a "one-size-fits-all" answer will not be very helpful.
The truth is, there are a number of reasons why mental health has been declining more and more, and helping to figure out the main causes of why may help to fix the issues, or at the very least, be more aware.
Anyways, I am curious to hear your thoughts on this topic. Let me know what you think in the comments down below. :)
Also, have a great rest of your day, and if no one has told you this today, you are AWESOME.
Take care,
Allie
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