Answer Addiction

Category: Mental Health Disorders

  • Mental Health Disorders Rising Among Millennials 

    Mental Health Disorders Rising Among Millennials 

    Working long hours and stagnant wages may play a role in the rise. 

    Millennials are struggling with mental health at an alarming rate, according to Business Insider.

    In connection with World Mental Health Day, Business Insider spent time studying the state of mental health in millennials. Among the main takeaways of the research were the facts that both depression and “deaths of despair” are increasing among 23-38 year olds, and that the job market—specifically long hours and stagnant wages—is affecting their mental health. 

    Depression Diagnoses Increase By Nearly 50%

    When it comes to depression, a report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index indicates that millennials and teens are dealing with increased rates of depression in comparison to other generations. Since 2013, the report found, millennial depression diagnoses have increased 47%. 

    Going hand-in-hand with the increase in depression, more millennials are also dying as a result of drugs, alcohol and suicide, often referred to as “deaths of despair.” According to Time reporter Jamie Ducharme, deaths of despair have increased for all ages in the last 10 years, but have increased the most in the younger generations. In 2017 alone, about 36,000 millennial deaths were considered deaths of despair with drug overdoses as the most common cause. 

    Financial Pressure May Be A Factor

    Finances may be another factor contributing to the mental health of millennials, Business Insider reports. It’s thought that the financial stress of student loans, healthcare, childcare and housing may factor into the rate of mental health disorders in the generation.

    “Studies have found a correlation between people with debt and mental-health problems,” Business Insider reports. “While this research, by its nature, can’t identify causality, the likelihood of having a mental-health disorder is three times higher among those with unsecured debt… People who have died by suicide were eight times more likely to have debt.”

    As a result of financial stress, some millennials may not be able to afford treatment for such mental health struggles.

    Workplace Burnout

    Also contributing to deteriorating mental health are feelings of loneliness and burnout, both in and out of the workplace.

    “It’s a growing problem in today’s workplace because of trends like rising workloads, limited staff and resources, and long hours,” Business Insider states.

    Despite the obstacles they are facing, Business Insider reports that millennials are still more likely than other generations to attend therapy and as such, are starting to destigmatize it.

    According to Wall Street Journal reporter Peggy Drexler, millennials view therapy as a way to improve themselves, but also as a way to cope when they haven’t met their own expectations. 

    “Raised by parents who openly went to therapy themselves and who sent their children as well, today’s 20- and 30-somethings turn to therapy sooner and with fewer reservations than young people did in previous eras,” Drexler wrote. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Mindfulness Meditation A Viable Treatment Option For Depression, Anxiety? 

    Is Mindfulness Meditation A Viable Treatment Option For Depression, Anxiety? 

    Experts believe that the mental health practice can be beneficial to those dealing with mental health issues.

    There may be another treatment option for those struggling with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, according to Psych Congress.

    Speakers at the 2019 Psych Congress discussed the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation as a treatment for such disorders, either on its own or alongside other treatment options. 

    In short, those who practice mindfulness meditation choose a “target,” which can be something like their own breath or a mantra. When they find their minds drifting elsewhere, according to Psych Congress, they acknowledge those thoughts and then redirect themselves to their chosen target.

    Hitting The Reset Button

    Psych Congress Steering Committee member Saundra Jain says mindfulness meditation helps “reset the balance” in the brain for those struggling with mental health disorders. She notes that people should “think about mindfulness as a way to soften, dampen, or quiet that internal chatter.”

    Jain also explored the scientific evidence for the practice, stating that brain imaging has demonstrated that mindfulness meditation is linked to an increase in the volume of gray matter in four different areas of the brain. She also noted that there was a connection between the practice and “beneficial changes in the activation of parts of the brain” and that the practice can still be beneficial to those patients who may already be on a medication.

    “Mindfulness meditation practices are effective interventions, and sometimes for mild to moderate conditions—depression and anxiety—super-effective as front lines,” Jain said.

    According to psychiatrist Michele Hauser, this practice has been around for about 3,500 years, with roots in Europe beginning in the 1700s. Such practices, according to Hauser, made their way west in the mid-20th century. She added that since 1999, the number of studies about mindfulness meditation have increased. 

    For Hauser, it’s important to note that the practice teaches its users how to respond to a situation rather than just react. 

    “Instead of spiraling downward into increasing anxiety and depression, we’re able to stop that spiral and respond in a more appropriate fashion,” she said.

    Practicing mindfulness meditation can be done in any moment, according to Mindful.

    “Mindfulness is available to us in every moment, whether through meditations and body scans, or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe when the phone rings instead of rushing to answer it,” the website states.

    The site also speaks about the importance of posture and positioning when practicing. 

    In order for the practice to be effective, Jain says that patients must practice it daily and cannot skip days. Research, she says, has shown the practice to be effective even if only for 10 minutes each day.

    View the original article at thefix.com