Across the country, parents, caregivers, teachers, and medical professionals share a growing concern: our kids are struggling. As a clinician, I see it first-hand every day. Families are battling a multitude of pressures and stressors, from a culture of over-programming to shortages of mental health resources, to a lack of outdoor play, to cycles of abuse and home instability, to navigating an increasingly digital world, and so much more.
A challenge this nuanced requires a similarly nuanced look at solutions. Let’s start by looking at what the research shows.
Across the nation, nearly four in ten high school students say they feel persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly two in ten report that they’ve had serious thoughts about suicide. These are grim statistics that no one should be willing to settle for, and everyone should be energized to solve.
But if we over-index on overly tailored solutions in the youth mental health discussion, such as broadly targeting phones and social media, we may miss opportunities to drive meaningful change, and worse, we may leave some kids behind.
A recent report published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that both too much and too little usage of social media could negatively impact youth mental health, suggesting that social media’s association with teens’ wellbeing is both complex and nonlinear. My takeaway – as a mom, clinician, and health system operator– is that we should look at the big picture, which is nuanced, not just the popular news headlines, which are simplified.
Another highly reputable association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, is out with a new report that also takes a thoughtful look at the issue of screentime. It rejects the notion that there is a “someone-sized-fits-all” rule that will create a healthier relationship to devices and instead tackles the challenge in the context of today’s digital realities. Specifically, it encourages active conversations with kids about the content they’re consuming, and it puts emphasis on digital literacy.
Parenting in the modern world is tough – there is no way around that. But what may be the right solution for one child may not be what the next child needs. I see this in stark focus when working with patients. There is the child who is struggling to focus in school because he consistently comes to school hungry. There is the child with severe anger issues because he lacks stable adults in his life. There is the child experiencing loneliness because she is spending too much time on her phone and not with other kids her age, and she is also being bullied at school.
While the diversity of examples is limitless, there is one unifying theme: every child has a unique experience and therefore, we must be wary of overly simplified solutions that could result in unintended consequences.
It’s also worth noting that we are all living in an increasingly digital world, and this trend will only accelerate as digital tools become more embedded into daily life. This means that young people are going to interact with the internet, whether it’s at home or in school, and whether we talk about it openly or not. That’s why, as we all navigate the best ways to keep our kids healthy, happy, and safe, it’s vital that digital and online literacy be part of the conversation – for kids, but also for parents.
Parents across the country recognize the futility in one-size-fits-all approaches to a challenge as nuanced as youth mental health. According to polling conducted by the Coalition to Empower our Future, 79 percent of parents reported favoring a comprehensive approach to addressing youth mental health over a narrow approach like banning phones and similar devices.
I hear the same thing in my conversations with parents. They want real solutions, not just theoretical ideas. They want behavioral health to be prioritized in pediatric and primary care settings. They want mental health education in school curricula, and more support from community members like educators, mentors, and coaches. And they want resources for themselves on how to support their child as they navigate a complex and fast-paced world.
While we face substantial challenges, there are signs of hope. Across the country, we’re beginning to see mental health treated not as an afterthought, but as a shared responsibility. Schools are collaborating more closely with families. Communities are speaking more openly about issues that used to be hidden. And young people, in many cases, are rightly at the forefront of these conversations.
Let’s turn this moment of great challenge into one of collective strength. When every part of a young person’s world works to support them, that’s when real healing begins.
Dr. Caroline Carney is a Board Member of the Coalition to Empower our Future. She is chief executive officer of Magellan Health and is a board-certified internist and psychiatrist.
