{"id":5765,"date":"2020-01-10T03:22:36","date_gmt":"2020-01-10T03:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flushinghospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=5765"},"modified":"2020-01-10T03:22:40","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T03:22:40","slug":"mental-health-issues-affecting-young-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flushinghospital.org\/newsletter\/mental-health-issues-affecting-young-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health Issues Affecting Young Adults"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Mental<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mental health issues are on the rise in adolescents and\nyoung adults (12-25 years of age) living in the United States. In research\npublished by the American Psychological Association, it was reported that, \u201cMore\nU.S. adolescents and young adults in the late 2010s, versus the mid-2000s,\nexperienced serious psychological distress, major depression or suicidal\nthoughts, and more attempted suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts believe the reason for the increase in mental health\nproblems in young adults is due in part to an increase of digital media and\nelectronic communication.  Studies show\nthat young adults are having less face-to face interactions and are spending\nless time with friends, neither of which are advantageous for mental health. Additionally,\nmany young adults are feeling pressured to present a flawless physical\nappearance or a perfect life online. They often measure themselves against\nunrealistic and often fabricated ideals which can affect self-esteem.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was also found that young adults are getting less sleep\nbecause too much time of their time is spent on electronic devices such as\nsmartphones.  Young adults tend to be\nlate night screen addicts, as there is always a need to feel connected to\nelectronic devices due to a fear of missing out. A study published in the\nJournal of Youth Studies showed that \u201c1 in 5 young people regularly wake up in\nthe night to send or check messages on social media.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleep deprivation in young adults can take a toll on their\nmental health. A lack of sleep over time can affect mood and lead to mental\nhealth disorders such as depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are steps that can be taken to minimize the negative effects\ndigital media and electronic communication can have on mental health.  They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n