Kids are experiencing mental health issues in increasing numbers.

Question

NYT magazine says that kids, particularly young girls, are experiencing increasing symptoms of various mental health issues like tics. The article says that this isn't just a result of the pandemic, but rather that the social isolation of social media might be responsible. Wanting to connect with people leads kids to mirror what they see on socials, including symptoms of disabilities or illnesses like Tourette's, depression, and anxiety.

Comments

I find restriction of energy drinks for kids under 16 pretty reasonable. The overconsumption of caffeine at such a young age can snowball into issues in the future like irregular sleep patterns. I don't think the restriction on caffeine is extreme, especially if a kid really wants an energy drink, a guardian can still provide it while also managing the caffeine levels. Whether the ban will be put in motion in the US, I'm not so sure.

Answer 1

This is proven to be true; a new HHS study claims: "A new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) study published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Pediatrics reports significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with mental health conditions." They include studies from the pandemic related to COVID-19 and how it had a burden on families but especially on the kids. HRSA studies prove "The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), finds that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 years diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29 percent and those with depression by 27 percent. The findings also suggest concerning changes in child and family well-being after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic." 29 and 27% may not seem like big time numbers but over a span across the nation this is a lot of kids facing mental health issues and major increases.

Comments

This is an outstanding fact-checking effort. You went above and beyond by tracing the claim all the way back to the original journal where it was published, ensuring that the information is accurate and well-supported. Additionally, you demonstrated a strong attention to detail by citing the journals correctly, using the appropriate format. This thorough approach not only strengthens the credibility of your work but also reflects a high level of dedication and professionalism.

Answer 2

This statement is unfortunately been proven to be true.  The  American Psychology Association (APA) has claimed that "in the last 10 years leading up to the pandemic, feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness- as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors—increased by about 40% among young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC).  The pandemic in general had a lot of negative effects and an increase in mental health diseases was one of them. The pandemic also caused a lot of stress and trauma on children.  A study from 2021 claims that "The CDC also reports that during the pandemic, 29% of U.S. high school students had a parent or caregiver who lost their job, 55% were emotionally abused by a parent or caregiver, and 11% were physically abused. Those numbers prove that the pandemic caused a lot of stressors on a lot of kids and increased the number of kids who have experienced a form of mental health. This is concerning and is why it is believed that there is a mental health crisis among children more than there ever was since the Pandemic. 

APA  

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (CDC)

Answer 3

The central claim to this post is shown to be true. When researching this claim there is many reputable sources mostly .org domains that back up this claim further than just the New York Times. According to the American Psychological Association in the article linked (https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health), their was a significant increase of about 40% in continuing feelings of sadness and loneliness leading up to pandemic. During the pandemic main listed factors to the increasing numbers of mental health issues included were increased social media usage, parent/guardian unemployment, and social isolation caused by in-person school closing. To go even further, an article from National Institute of Mental Health (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2023/covid-19-pandemic-associated-with-worse-mental-health-and-accelerated-brain-development-in-adolescents) found a study conducted at Stanford University that a post-pandemic group of adolescents reported more symptoms of various mental health issues compared to the pre-pandemic group.

Answer 4

This is proven to be true. The COVID-19 pandemic brought an onslaught of challenges that have had tragic impacts on the younger generation's mental health. This includes social isolation, political concerns, academic disruption, and familial losses from the pandemic. This isn't an entirely new issue, mental health concerns have always existed whether or not they were acknowledged, but the increasing numbers of youth affected by mental health decline has been largely influenced by the impacts of the pandemic. According to the CDC, feelings associated with depression has increased by about 40% among youth. Additionally, it's important to recognize how the pandemic increased young people's access to social media and how this can be a key attribute to the growing numbers of mental health issues. Access to social media leads to online bullying and unhealthy comparisons of self. Also, it allows the youth to be increasingly aware of the political climate they live in, which is a growing concern among the younger generation. So overall, it is an entirely true claim that the younger generation is facing a mental health crisis for a number of reasons, but they are still largely being affected by the impacts of the pandemic.

Sources:

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health

https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/index.html