The generation that cries in silence: anxiety, depression, and self-harm

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the mental health of young Spaniards, with rates of anxiety and depression doubling since 2016, according to data from the Lundbeck seminar, which was recently held in Sitges, Barcelona. But the cause is not unique: in addition to the coronavirus, other factors explain this increase, such as excessive use of social media , cyberbullying , early access to inappropriate content, the pressure of studying, and the uncertainty and lack of expectations regarding a precarious job market.

The data from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Observatory , broken down by Dr. Lorenzo Armenteros of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), are devastating: more than 60% of young people report having experienced anxiety or depressive symptoms in the past year. And the percentage of people who have considered suicide reaches 55%. In all cases, women are more affected than men.

Unwanted loneliness is another cause for concern, affecting 35% of respondents, especially women and people on low incomes.

One of the reasons for this situation, according to Dr. Armenteros, is the lack of healthcare professionals to treat these patients . "Access to clinical psychologists is limited, and waiting lists often exceed six months," he warned.

From his perspective, these data are a wake-up call for institutions because the situation "is critical. It is crucial to improve early detection of emotional problems in schools, and mental health services for adolescents must be strengthened."

One aspect he considers key is collaboration between families, schools, and health services. He also advocated for promoting emotional well-being "as a priority for public policies. It is urgent to implement preventive interventions and psychological support, with public policies that prioritize youth mental health."

One of the most striking findings, as mentioned, is that these disorders affect girls and young women much more. The reason, as explained by Dr. Elisa Seijoo, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospitalization Unit at the Central University Hospital of Asturias, is based on three factors: biological, exposure, and maturation.

"The average age of onset is 14-15 years ," warned Dr. Celso Arango, director of the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid and professor of Psychiatry at the Complutense University. The impact of unwanted loneliness and social media—which allows for harassment that can occur 24/7—are other key factors, in his view, that have led to an increase in self-harm. In his opinion, the future of Psychiatry lies in strengthening its relationship with Primary Care .

Laia Rico has been a mental health patient. She was diagnosed at age 15 after experiencing "exhaustion, a very deep sadness that paralyzed me and kept me awake." However, her family considered her lazy, and anxiety attacks began. She asked her parents for help and began seeing a psychologist, but there was no connection. The situation led to self-harm, "which made me feel something, like being alive."

A new psychologist was able to get things back on track. After various misdiagnoses and treatments, years later she learned she had borderline personality disorder. Now, properly treated, she lives a normal life, studying psychology at university, traveling as often as she can, and in a stable relationship.

"It's hard to be young right now. Society demands so much from us, and we must also add to that our own demands, with standards that are impossible," she warned. And as a recommendation to parents who begin to notice strange behavior in their children, she advised "that they listen and become another safe space."

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the mental health of young Spaniards, with rates of anxiety and depression doubling since 2016, according to data from the Lundbeck seminar, which was recently held in Sitges, Barcelona. But the cause is not unique: in addition to the coronavirus, other factors explain this increase, such as excessive use of social media , cyberbullying , early access to inappropriate content, the pressure of studying, and the uncertainty and lack of expectations regarding a precarious job market.