America is becoming a nation of anxious people. Psychologists point to the rapid rise in anxiety, especially among teenagers and young adults, as evidence that our country is facing a mental health crisis. Just in the last two decades, the number of Americans receiving mental health treatment has increased from around 27 million to nearly 42 million people. In addition, more and more Americans are turning to wellness products such as cannabidiol (CBD) and meditation apps because of psychological distress.
However, the crisis extends far beyond mental health. Anxiety is undermining the very psychological foundation of a free and flourishing society—a belief in economic freedom. Therefore, America’s mental health challenge is also an abundance challenge: When we’re skeptical about the benefits that economic liberty can bring us, we’re erecting a needless barrier to human prosperity.
It would be easy to attribute many pressing mental health problems to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a 2021 meta-analysis featuring 29 studies of more than 80,000 youth from around the world found that the prevalence of anxiety and depression doubled during the pandemic. But even though anxiety levels increased during that time, this trend existed long before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19. A study of Americans between 2008 and 2018 found a dramatic increase in anxiety, especially among adults aged 18 to 25. Furthermore, anxiety increased across racial, ethnic, gender and income groups. Adults over the age of 50 comprised the only group in which a significant increase in anxiety was not observed.
Continue reading at Discourse Magazine.
Clay Routledge, PhD, is the Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute. As a leading expert in existential psychology, his work focuses on helping people reach their full potential and build meaningful lives. Follow his work @clayroutledge and subscribe to his newsletter, Flourishing Fridays.
Psychology of Flourishing
America is becoming a nation of anxious people. Psychologists point to the rapid rise in anxiety, especially among teenagers and young adults, as evidence that our country is facing a mental health crisis. Just in the last two decades, the number of Americans receiving mental health treatment has increased from around 27 million to nearly 42 million people. In addition, more and more Americans are turning to wellness products such as cannabidiol (CBD) and meditation apps because of psychological distress.
However, the crisis extends far beyond mental health. Anxiety is undermining the very psychological foundation of a free and flourishing society—a belief in economic freedom. Therefore, America’s mental health challenge is also an abundance challenge: When we’re skeptical about the benefits that economic liberty can bring us, we’re erecting a needless barrier to human prosperity.
It would be easy to attribute many pressing mental health problems to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a 2021 meta-analysis featuring 29 studies of more than 80,000 youth from around the world found that the prevalence of anxiety and depression doubled during the pandemic. But even though anxiety levels increased during that time, this trend existed long before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19. A study of Americans between 2008 and 2018 found a dramatic increase in anxiety, especially among adults aged 18 to 25. Furthermore, anxiety increased across racial, ethnic, gender and income groups. Adults over the age of 50 comprised the only group in which a significant increase in anxiety was not observed.
Continue reading at Discourse Magazine.
Clay Routledge
Clay Routledge, PhD, is the Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute. As a leading expert in existential psychology, his work focuses on helping people reach their full potential and build meaningful lives. Follow his work @clayroutledge and subscribe to his newsletter, Flourishing Fridays.
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