A new report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences illustrates some alarming health risks facing today’s adolescents. This makes them the first generation to grow up under the dark cloud of an accelerating climate emergency. As they navigate an increasingly complex world, young people are experiencing a unique set of challenges that intertwine digital technology, mental health issues, and the repercussions of global conflicts. Their grim findings paint a picture of the immediate need for multi‐faceted approaches to tackle these pressing issues.
The report highlights that between 1990 and 2022, the number of young individuals exposed to conflict and war more than doubled. The rapid increase in exposure to multiple stressors has exacerbated mental health disorders among adolescents. Frighteningly, three-quarters of all lifetime mental disorders begin before age 24. Digital natives, today’s youth are under extreme pressures. They wrestle with increasing levels of anxiety and stress, most of which is fueled by the stressors of climate change.
The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health
Climate change has become a new and growing front-line enemy in mental health. Almost all adolescents worldwide have experienced at least one climate/environmental hazard, shock or stress. The report emphasizes that millions of young Americans are living under extreme climate-related anxiety. This anxiety can exacerbate their pre-existing mental health conditions.
“Young people carry a large amount of climate-related anxiety,” – Professor Azzopardi
Peter Azzopardi, a prominent figure in adolescent health, highlights the pressing need for focused attention on mental health services for this demographic. “We would certainly be recommending that mental health be an area of specific attention,” he stated. This collision of climate anxiety and mental health challenges requires swift intervention from policymakers and health professionals to address mental health needs exacerbated by climate change.
In response to these findings, Susan Sawyer, another expert in the field, asserts the importance of creating safer environments for adolescents. She emphasizes that “The findings are alarming and they demand urgent action and accountability, in collaboration with adolescents, to create safer spaces and meaningful change.”
Non-Communicable Diseases and Lifestyle Challenges
In Australia and around the world, young people are increasingly vulnerable to a wave of non-communicable diseases. These impact mental health, chronic pain, and respiratory disease. This transition is already having massive negative impacts on public health. The report warns that by 2050, close to half of the world’s young people will be overweight, contributing to a growing burden of chronic diseases.
“By 2050, close to half of the world’s young people will be overweight,” – Professor Azzopardi
Current projections indicate that by 2030, a third of adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean will be overweight. This is true for North Africa and the Middle East. Such figures call into question the effectiveness of today’s health initiatives designed to improve the well-being of adolescents.
Peter Azzopardi notes that “It is an area where we have not seen substantial gains made at all.” The lack of serious progress illustrates a big issue. The real motives behind adolescent health calamities current initiatives do not address the underlying factors causing adolescent health crises.
The Digital Dilemma
While the recent explosion of digital technology presents incredible opportunities, it can have severe harmful effects for adolescents. The right technology can create new, deeper forms of experiential learning and can foster social connections. It has brought new dangers such as cyberbullying, exacerbated social isolation and unhealthy peer comparison on social media. These new digital dynamics can worsen preexisting mental health conditions for youth.
As child health breakthroughs only seem to be imperatively accelerating in recent decades, adolescents are at risk of being left behind. As the first digital natives and the first full members of the climate change generation, they are overcoming stark challenges. It’s time that society acknowledge their fight and work to help them clear these hurdles.
“A common myth is that adolescents are healthy and therefore don’t need health services,” – Susan Sawyer
This myth stands in the way of emerging, yet sorely needed resources specifically designed for their unique needs. Yet without governments providing health services and protective support systems, many adolescents would be left to deal with important health difficulties fiercely.
Leave a Reply