Dr Colman Noctor, a renowned child and adolescent psychotherapist from St Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin, raises an alarm about the rising mental health issues amongst teenagers. He specifically highlights the concerns for the mental well-being of the 13-year-olds of today who are encountering higher risks of depression compared to those in their age group ten years back. These concerns are exacerbated for girls.
This data has been drawn from the comprehensive “Growing Up in Ireland” (GUI) study, which looks at the lives of 13-year-olds born in 2008 and compares them to those born a decade earlier.
A spike in the number of referrals for treatment and support for emotional and mental distress amongst children has left Dr Noctor and his colleagues astounded. He identifies an upward trend that started in 2010, around the same time as the increased use of smartphones. This upswing has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, he warns.
He emphasises that 13 and 14-year-olds who were accustomed to socialising through structured playdates before the pandemic are struggling in the aftermath. With the need to manage their social lives independently, these young ones lack the necessary skills.
Children’s forced shift towards online schooling and social interaction during the pandemic period is another area of concern. Dr Noctor points out that these youngsters are spending excessive time online, being exposed to adult themes, such as the Palestine issue and the climate crisis, much earlier than those from the previous generation. Along with this, they are also dealing with high levels of self-examination and comparison.
His view is that adolescents are not getting the requisite social and emotional experience that is essential in coping with the content they consume online. This experience traditionally comes from simply spending time with their peer group.
Dr Noctor also flags the escalating “culture of individualism”. He points to the obsession with selfies as a symptom and talks about the eroding sense of community in this age group’s lives.
The phenomenon wasn’t limited to just young adolescents, he went on to say, “university grounds are deserted, and individuals in their 40s and 50s are expressing their sense of isolation.” However, young adolescents appeared more susceptible to lack of proficiency in dealing with it.
“I wish I could offer a fix, but often it’s the parents who themselves are grappling with loneliness and depression, endeavouring to remain a beacon of positivity for their offspring. The necessity is to furnish environments and assistance for youth to interact and acquire these necessary skills,” he emphasized.