Via the HUNT survey, more than 150,000 young women and men in Norway have answered questions about mental health. This was done from 1995 until 2019. The figures show that young people who struggle with their mental health have doubled in ten years. The results also show that it is the girls who struggle the most. 44 percent of teenage girls in Norway say they are stressed and have heavy thoughts. And more and more people are shouting warnings. – We see a significant increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression. Especially in girls and young ladies. A much stronger negative development there than one finds among the boys, says Steinar Krokstad to news. He is a professor of social medicine at NTNU, and has led the new study. Krokstad says they see that the negative significance of social media has an effect. 2010 is a clear turning point in the wrong direction. NTNU study on mental health among young people The results show: anxiety and depression significantly increase quality of life are poorer chronic diseases increases use of painkillers increases self-perceived health is poorer happiness and satisfaction is declining What can you do to feel better: put away your mobile phone or tablet go for a walk with friends without tracking do something physical with others find out what is meaningful to you help someone else set you a goal to learn something do something that feels good Source: NTNU A turning point for mental health In 2010 launches Apple’s very first tablet. This is also the year Instagram is established. The following year, Snapchat sees the light of day. And since then, the world has not looked back. In the time from 2010 until today, the number of hours that young people spend sitting still in front of a screen has increased dramatically. – At this time, the positive health development among young people is reversing, and is starting to become negative. We have simply replaced activities that promoted good health with activities that weaken it, says Krokstad. He believes better regulation and stricter rules are the way to go. In 2010, Instagram saw the light of day. Snapchat came the following year. Since then, the mental health of young people in the world has deteriorated, research shows. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news – Know it is not good for me Maren Holum, Emma Kristensen and Rebekka Viken Moe all go to high school. They say the phone is in use for between two to seven hours every day. And then it is TikTok and Snapchat that are most frequently used. – I know it’s not particularly good for me, but I do it anyway, says Kristensen. She believes first and foremost that social media can make people feel left out. – You follow everything that happens, and if you are the one who is not allowed to join, then you sit alone. This can certainly contribute to anxiety and depression. The young girls think stricter rules would have made a difference. – In some cases it would have been good. The adults should take action and follow up on the age limits. Then it may be better to regulate that young people are not exposed to everything that happens on social media. Maren Holum, Emma Kristensen and Rebekka Viken Moe all go to Steinkjer upper secondary school. They admit that many hours during the day are spent on Snapchat and TikTok. Photo: Julie Haugen Egge / news The measures must come before people get sick According to the NTNU professor, economic growth has been the dominant ideology in Western societies for the past ten years. HUNT researcher Steinar Krokstad is worried about the future of today’s youth. He believes prevention is the way to go. Photo: Julie Haugen Egge / news Krokstad believes that this policy has led to international technology companies gaining enormous power. Which in turn affects mental health. – These companies strongly influence the lives of young people. It is simply billionaires, economists and technologists who control people’s behavior for several hours in a day. Due to lack of legislation, the companies have been allowed to regulate themselves. He believes prevention is the way to go. – There is a lot of focus on health care. And it is clear that when you create a life for young people that is not good, then we must help them with it. But there seems to be a poor understanding of health promotion and prevention. Measures must be taken before people become ill. The Minister of Health says it is urgent In an e-mail to news, Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol writes that she thinks the figures in the new NTNU study are alarmingly high. Ingvild Kjerkol says it is important that everyone knows how they can best strengthen and take care of their own mental health and quality of life. The ABC campaign must ensure that. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB – Too many young people are struggling with mental health problems, and there is an urgent need to expand the help offer. Mental health is one of the most important areas I work with. – What is the biggest challenge to get this on the right track? – The pandemic has highlighted several weaknesses in the services. The low-threshold offer for children and young people in mental health must be strengthened. There are also differences in access to treatment and follow-up in different parts of the country. Providing good help at the right level to everyone who needs it is the biggest challenge. Not just about social media In addition to social media, the researchers also point to two other factors that have contributed to the negative development. One is that young people state that they are worried about the future. In addition, more people feel pressure to perform. – Young people today carry a lot of insecurity with them. It concerns work and finances. They are growing up in a time where we have until now had faith in economic growth. Now we see that both humans and our nature are struggling because of this, says Krokstad. He believes we must write a new story about the future that young people can believe in.
ttn-69
44 percent of teenage girls in Norway are plagued by stress, anxiety and heavy thoughts – news Trøndelag
