More people experience mental health problems
Afew months ago, a report was published showing an increase in the number of visits to mental health clinics in Oman reaching 110,000 in 2022, an increase of 8 per cent compared to 2021. This might be attributed to an increase in public awareness about mental health but also an actual increase in people experiencing mental illness which is a worldwide phenomenon. There are also reports of what used to be “White man problems” such as eating disorders and gaming addiction increasing in developing countries, including Oman and other GCC countries which can be challenging in terms of detection and providing the appropriate care.
The book “The Anxious Generation” by social psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt offers a possible explanation for the increase of people experiencing mental health problems based on what he calls “the decline of unsupervised outdoor play-based activities during childhood, which is essential in the development of the human brain during childhood and early adolescence. This fear and the continual adult supervision deprived children of essential skills on how to overcome the normal fears and anxieties of childhood, the chance to explore nature, share adventures with friends and peers, and learn how to judge risks for themselves.
The second explanation Dr Haidt calls “phonebased childhood” is when play-based activities were replaced by hand-held devices such as smartphones, tablets or video games. The speed of the internet and social media platforms lead to the “Great Rewiring of Childhood”, as Dr. Haidt calls it. Most children and young adults browse the Internet with limited supervision from their parents which eventually leads to problems like gaming, internet addiction and online bullying.
Dr Haidt concludes that “overprotecting children in the real world while under protecting them in the virtual world is the main issue behind the rise of mental health problems among teenagers and younger adults.
While I agree with some of the theories proposed by the author, I think we need to explore other explanations such as financial difficulties, limited employment opportunities, and changes in social structure with more people feeling lonely and isolated. I was preparing a presentation about loneliness among the elderly and was expecting them to be the loneliest when it comes to age groups but I came across a 2022 survey conducted in 16 countries showing loneliness to decrease with age.
Nearly 60 per cent of young adults between 18 and 24 years reported negative effects on wellbeing from feelings of loneliness, while around 22 per cent of respondents aged 65 and older reported the same. Loneliness is reported to be a risk factor for several psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression and drug addiction.
Humans are social creatures by nature and that is why we read about individuals in big cities like Tokyo who rent a stranger to be their friend, seek their advice, accompany them to social events, or simply share a cup of coffee with them to escape loneliness, even if it’s only for a day. It will not be surprising to see such phenomena occurring in other cities.
IN HIS BOOK ‘THE ANXIOUS GENERATION’, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST DR JONATHAN HAIDT SUGGESTS THAT THE REDUCTION OF UNSUPERVISED OUTDOOR PLAY IN CHILDHOOD, COUPLED WITH INCREASED TIME SPENT ONLINE, CONTRIBUTES TO THE RISE IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG CHILDREN”.