Youth Going Through Midlife Crisis: Social Media Exposure A Reason?

The younger generation is experiencing something “equivalent to a midlife crisis,” say experts in the Gallup Report. Dr Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, said allowing children to use social media was like giving them medicine that is not proven to be safe. He said the failure of governments to better regulate social media in recent years was “insane”. Murthy spoke to the Guardian as new data revealed that young people across North America were now less happy than their elders, with the same “historic” shift expected to follow in Western Europe. 

Excessive Consumption Of Social Media Leads to Mid-Life Crisis In Adolescents 

The excessive use of social media and the lifestyle post-pandemic led to a decline in children and adolescents' mental health. While the report draws its conclusions from a thorough survey, statistics and analysis of all the countries, it also concluded something concerning, "Evidence primarily from high-income countries indicates significant life satisfaction declines post-COVID-19, especially among females." It is uncertain as to what factors decisively contribute to this trend but the primary reason highlighted is- social media.

The report claims that females start reporting lower life satisfaction than males by around age 12. This gap widens at ages 13 and 15, and the pandemic has amplified these inequalities. This global gender gap masks regional differences, and is more pronounced in lower-income countries, with no gender differences observed in high-income countries. These reports also indicate how depressive episodes in early adolescent age influence adulthood in different spheres, from labour market success, relationships, physical health, adult well-being and so on. 

Pointing towards social media is the easiest assumption and an easy escape from further analysing the reasons. The report does stress regional variations that are attributed to certain stress that is exclusive to adolescents present there. For example, in many developing Asian and East Asian countries starvation, material deprivation, and inconsistent parental/ elderly support can be a few reasons contributing to increased levels of dissatisfaction in the younger generation. Stacking up all this along with excessive social media adds to stress and anxiety. 

Anything consumed in a minimal amount is healthy whereas excessive consumption makes us addicted, the same applies to social media. Yet why do adolescents specifically share this issue? The reason is, that adolescents from the age of 12-16 are in their formative and developing years where not only do they physically grow they also build themselves mentally and emotionally, acquiring a sense of self and individuality that further gets carved out. 

Streaming social media for countless hours not only hampers their mental well-being but is also rendered regressive. This stage is a crucial aspect in everyone's life and is responsible for the most basic behaviours that carry till they reach adulthood. 

Even though the 2024 World Happiness Report publishes some concerning news it is imperative that we now realise the importance of not only our well-being but also of children and adolescents around us and help them every step of the way.