Mental Health: Disease Causes And Ways To Help

Nowadays, it has brought to many people’s attention that there are more and more news reports about young people committing suicide and self-harm due to bad mental health. These reports show that mental issues can threaten our lives, therefore maintaining good mental health, or having a state of mental wellbeing is very important. According to Public Health England (2015), A person’s mental, emotional, physical and social wellbeing are tightly linked. People with good mental health can deal with the general stress they face in daily life, and realize their potential along with contributing to society (World Health Organization, 2003). As Mental Health Foundation (2016) states, 1 in 10 children and young people experience mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and conduct disorder, and 70% of them have not gotten appropriate treatment. Those huge numbers alert us to take young people’s mental health seriously. This essay aims to discuss the causes and effects of young people’s mental illness, and the solutions for it. It is also aimed to let more people realize having a mental illness is not shameful or disgraceful, and mental health is as important as physical health, appropriate actions and treatments should be taken when there is a sign of one.

One of the causes of mental illness could be the development of technology. According to The Economist; London (2017), the Pew Research Centre found 75% of teenagers use smartphones. Teenagers who invest a higher amount of time in social media are shown to have negative feelings about themselves. In contrast, those who invest less time on screen and more time in in-person activities are shown to have a lower chance to have trouble with their mental health. Another cause of mental illness may be bullying. As reported by Nierenberg, C. (2015), a scientist found children who got bullied when they were young are more likely to developmental issues such as depression when they grow up. Another study shows around 20 percent of the teens who were bullies when they were children have mental health problems, and 23 percent of the teens who used to get bullied had shown mental problems before the age of 30 in Finland (Nierenberg, C., 2015). Burke, J. (2019) suggests gender and age are also factors that can cause mental issues. It has found the increase in the level of negative feelings and loneliness was linked to age increase. It has also been found that girls are recorded to have a greater level of negative feelings and loneliness, and a lower level of wellbeing compare to boys. In addition, Burke, J. (2019) suggests school pressures such as exam stress may cause damage to mental and physical health especially to juniors and seniors in high school.

Suicide is one of the effects of mental illness. According to Candeias, V., and Diabo, R. (2018), over 40 percent of the 250,000 suicides in the year 2012 are youngsters aged below 30. In India, suicide has become the top cause of death among young girls aged between 15 and 19. Generally, every 40 seconds there is one person passes away from suicide. It is mentioned in the research of Nierenberg, C. (2015), teens who have mental illness shown to have weak school performance and low self-esteem.

One way to help with the mental illness of young people is to reduce the time on electronic devices and social media. As stated in Economist; London (2017), people tend to post only the good side of their lives, so that it seems like they are having a better life than others. Seeing these posts every day will cause the teens to compare and feel hopeless in their own life, which then causes mental problems. A study shows people who went without social media for a week feel less depressed than those who use social media every day for a week (Economist; London, 2017). Another way to help with the mental illness of young people is to work on reducing school bullying. Tippett, N. (2015) suggests that 3 factors can help to reduce the impact of bullying on mental health. The first factor is communication. He stated that it is important to communicate with all members of the school community about the school’s position on bullying and mental health. Also, there should be classes about mental health as a part of the school’s curriculum, to raise student’s awareness and challenge the stigma of it, making sure young people who suffer from mental issues feel supported. In addition, staff needs to know the significance of listening, and ensure students are comfortable while talking about bullying and mental issues to them. The second factor is prevention. The school should provide a positive, open atmosphere that can support mental wellness. The staff should look for students that are showing signs of poorer academic performance, lack of engagement, and changes in behavior, because they may be experiencing mental issues. The third factor is the response. When addressing mental health concerns, schools should cooperate with professionals to give a suitable response to young people having a mental illness. The use of additional support networks, strategies, and techniques can be put into action to help young adults in improving their mental health.

In conclusion, the mental wellness of young people is decreasing rapidly nowadays due to things like technology, bullying, school pressure, age, and gender. And the effects of mental illness can be as serious as taking the life of one. Mental health can destroy physical health and vice versa. It is important to realize, mental health is tightly linked to physical health, and both are at the same level of importance. Having a mental illness is not disgraceful or shameful. When there is a sign of mental illness, one should ask for help and get appropriate treatments on time.