Why Children’s Mental Health Crisis Is Not NewExBulletin

Michelle Martin, Host:

The school year is nearing its end, but parental anxiety is not over. It learns how children and adolescents are struggling with mental health problems, even if pandemic-related restrictions are relaxed, after a tough two years to deal with all the effects of a COVID pandemic. Because there is. In their 2022 trend report, the American Psychological Association calls this situation a crisis. But the next guest states that the crisis is nothing new, and in fact children and adolescents have been struggling for years, and the toxic politics that link this issue to the COVID pandemic is useless. Judith Warner, a journalist and writer who writes extensively on mental health issues, recently wrote in the Washington Post in an article entitled “The Mental Health Crisis in Children Didn’t Start with a Pandemic.” increase. And she is with us now and talks more. Judith Warner, thank you for your participation.

Judith Warner: Oh, thank you for bringing me.

Martin: So when did it start? If it didn’t start with a pandemic, is there a time frame that can be pointed out to suggest when this really became a concern?

Warning: I don’t think there was a time when children weren’t having mental health problems. That is, it doesn’t make sense because adults have it. And most mental health problems begin at the beginning of adolescence. But certainly, there has been an acceleration in the last decade. I don’t think there is any debate about depression and anxiety in particular.

Martin: Well, there is one disturbing statistic that one in six high school students revealed that they had a suicide plan the previous year. This is from the 2019 CDC report. And that’s a 44% increase from 2009. So why does that happen in that time frame you’re talking to us?

Warning: There are so many theories about it that you know. And the most popular theory is that it has always been related to the advent of smartphones. And, as you know, there is no doubt that living online has had an impact. Social media has had some influence. But none of the experts I talked to were willing to simplify it into one. I don’t think it’s the only thing. And at this point, as you know, I think there is always the problem of reporting it as the parent’s generation progresses. There are parents who have become more and more aware of mental health issues and have grown up to encourage people to discuss mental health issues. As you know, it has fewer stigmas than previous generations. Compared to my own cohort, I really understand that I now have young parents. Of course, that’s part of it. But this was also a very stressful time in our country. So I don’t think we can tell what is happening to our children and what is happening to all of us.

Martin: So I guess-when you look at it all, do you feel the consensus among adults that this is really a crisis? I know that mental health professionals say so. Many parents say so. Many school officials say so. Is there a broader public consensus that this is a crisis that needs to be focused on?

Warning: Yes, this is a crisis that needs to be focused, so I think there is a broader social consensus right now. And one of the frustrating, ironic things I don’t know about it is that for such a long time the opposite story was consensus. We know that the children were overdiagnosed, that they were too sick, and that we were harming them in the process. And that’s-I think all of the special snowflake stories still have some of that rhetoric, do you know? Oh, this generation is so sensitive that it reacts to everything. I always hated it, you know. And especially now, I think it’s something people really should question. Because it is clear that this younger generation is suffering, and they have good reason to suffer. And, as you know, we cannot minimize what they are experiencing, that is, what they are experiencing. It was a really ugly and difficult time.

Martin: But is there a greater social consensus on what we should do about it? Is there any consensus on the direction this country can take to tackle these issues?

WARNING: Looking at what the experts say, the professional organization, the American Psychological Association, etc., I think there is consensus among the experts about what must happen. And it improves access and affordability, diversifies the mental health workforce, the school counseling workforce. That is, you see this over and over again. I also think there is consensus in the professional community about the fact that something has to happen really fast and help where the kids are. So we need to do more work at school. It’s basically about providing schools with tools to stay mentally healthy and deal with very high levels of distress. And the problem is that I’m never sure it will happen. So one of the things parents screaming at school board meetings are screaming right now is social emotion learning. This is, for some reason, a vector of so-called critical race theory. This makes sense. But what happens if they are already boosting socio-emotional learning, you have to step it up a bit, well, you actually have to build some psychological skills Do you know when you say no?

Martin: This actually sounds very disappointing. It sounds like a really disappointing picture. So, especially for parents, if they are worried about this, can they leave some thoughts on what they can do?

Warning: Yes, that’s right. And I think it’s interesting too-(laughs) because I’m a very negative person-but I don’t think it’s that disappointing, but there is a solution. A solution that works, is not very expensive, and is very quick and easy to deploy. That is, these school-based interventions, these trainings, and I think it will be very important and potentially powerful for parents to recognize it. If they are demanding it, if they are demanding that they have the money to do it, then that time is common, but complains that school time should just be spent on academics. Not spent on it.

Martin: Judith Warner is a journalist and best-selling author who writes extensively on youth mental health. Her latest book is “And They Stop Talking to Me: Understanding the Meaning of Middle School.” The article we’re talking about about children’s mental health can be found in The Washington Post. Judith Warner, thank you for your participation.

Warning: Thank you very much, Michelle.

Martin: And if you or anyone you know might be thinking of suicide, we send you a text message to HOME at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or 741741 at 1-800-273-8255. Hope to contact the crisis textline by.

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