Expert Article (Final)

 

Overwhelming Stress?

The importance of Mindfulness for young adults

I'm tired. I'm stressed. There is not enough time in the day. I do not know what I am doing with my life. As a college student, I am willing to bet that you have had one of these negative thoughts within the past week. With stress levels being higher than ever in the younger generation, as a society, we have to make sure we implement new tools that give our future a good chance to succeed. Being labeled "The most anxious generation," young adults and children of Gen Z have an extremely heavy burden as they deal with the presence of social media, high expectations, and the lack of resources. One of the best ways to combat this anxiety is by incorporating Mindfulness into their everyday lives and education.

Before I go into why mindfulness is crucial, you might be wondering what is mindfulness? Some of you may think of meditation and that it may "fix" you. You are wrong. Yes, while mindfulness includes an aspect of meditation, there is nothing to fix. Mindfulness is a way of realizing and accepting what is going on in your life. It is about living and focusing in on the present instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past. It is to help make sure you are experiencing whatever is currently happening and calming yourself down.

Still, you may ask, why am I so stressed? What is contributing to my anxiety? A combination of factors leads to this.

The role of social media has been pivotal. Who doesn’t love relaxing on couch and watching a “few” reels? Or checking tweets from their favorite celebrity? Or maybe even just looking at a “couple” stories on Instagram and snapchat? While these features may seem appealing in the moment, the pressures and downsides of social media come in multiple different ways. First, social media has aggressive headlines and influencers that leads to body dysmorphia for many teens and young adults (Zsila & Reyes). Social media constantly see these celebrities and influencers on their phone every day and think they have no flaws or insecurities, which then makes users question themselves. Therefore, for many people, whenever they go on their favorite apps, they fight an inner battle with themselves. Next, social media also contributes to FOMO (the Fear Of Missing Out). Around 75% of young adults experience FOMO, and it only gets worse as they see their peers doing something while they are at home (Austin). These everyday battles with yourself can take a toll, and it is hard for anyone to overcome.

Outside of the pressures young adults endure, there is a huge lack of resources. Even the group of young adults who might reach out for help are not able to receive the help they need because there are literally not enough mental health professionals. In fact, “over 115 million people in the United States lived in areas with a ratio of fewer than one mental health professional per 30,000 residents” (Hickok). This alone shows the lack of availability and focus that our society has on mental health. In order for the next generation to overcome these high stress levels, they need to have access to resources and professionals they can talk to.

Now you see all these problems. You are aware of things causing issues. But you still do not know how to fix them. Well, let me offer a few suggestions.

Starting with social media, we know it is addicting. We know it can be hard not “being in the loop.” However, they are ways for you to still interact with social while reducing your usage and the detrimental effects it has on your mental health. The following are ideas and tips that many people have used to limit their presence on your favorite social media outlets:

  • Set a time limit: Technology is dangerous, but you can also use it to your advantage. Nowadays, you can go to your settings, set a specific limit for how long you can be on certain apps, and your phone will close it out for you.

  • Turn off notifications: It is hard to get out of the trap when you are constantly getting reminders about it throughout your day. Get rid of them, and you will be surprised how much less it comes to mind,

  • Schedule a specific: It is easy to be on these apps for a short period of time all throughout your day, and you do not even realize how fast they add up to most of your day. If you schedule a specific time to go on your apps, it allows you to not think about it while you complete other activities.

    Next, as a society, we have to bring more resources and professionals for mental health into the presence of the future generation. Obviously, it would be easy to say just get more mental health professionals, but that takes time. We need a more immediate remedy that can help young adults as soon as possible. This can be done in many ways including:

• Mandatory mindfulness classes: We need to use technology to our advantage. It should be mandatory for students in school to have a mindfulness course throughout their education in order to make sure they have a designated time in their day to unwind.

Additionally, this concept can be applied to young adults in the workforce. These young employees can enroll in an online mental health course as a way to take a break from their job.

• Have Mindfulness breaks: Much like lunch breaks, we can have mindfulness breaks. Groups of employees can have a designated time to take at least 15 minutes to just close their eyes and relax without worrying about anything else.

This reiterates the idea of mental health and helps society to remember to take care of themselves. Once practices like these become the norm, we will see more career options appear for mental health professionals—which only increases access to help for many people.

Ultimately, these are just a few suggestions, and there are plenty more ways to reduce stress and incorporate mindfulness into our lives...But the first step is trying.

Works Cited:

American Psychiatric Association. (2022, February 11). Tips to Take Control of Your Social Media Use. APA Blogs. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/tips-to-take-control- of-your-social-media-use

Austin, Cerenity. (2019, December 2). Baylor Study: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Plus Social Media Connections Can Equal Happiness. Baylor University https://news.web.baylor.edu/news/story/2019/baylor-study-fear-missing-out-fomo-plus-social- media-connections-can-equal

Cupido, Lisa. (2022, December 26). Tech Experts Agree: This is the One Social Media App Everyone Should Stop Using in 2023. Yahoo. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tech-experts- agree-one-social-154638585.html

Hickok, Hannah. (2021, September 1). Under Pressure: How Social Media, Drugs, and the Changing Landscape of Sexuality Are Challenging Younger Generations’ Mental Health. Everyday Health. Https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-find-your-spirit-animal

Hogan, Brienne. (2022, September 7). Quick Mindfulness Tricks to Deescalate a Terrible, Stressful, No-Good Day. She Knows. https://www.sheknows.com/health-and- wellness/articles/2341635/quick-mindfulness-tricks-deescalate-bad-day/

McLean Hospital. (2024, February 14). ‘Like’ it or not, using social media can cause anxiety, depression, and other health challenges. How can you change your habits? https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

Regan-Addis, Heather. (2022, January 12). What is the Definition of Mindulness? Mindfulness Association. https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/science-of-mindfulness/what-is-the- definition-of-mindfulness/

Zsila, Á., & Reyes, M. E. S. (2023). Pros & cons: impacts of social media on mental health. BMC Psychology, 11(201). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x

(2020, December 28). An Introduction to Behavioral Health Professionals. Best Drug and Alcohol Rehab Tampa Florida. https://www.tpoftampa.com/introduction-to-behavioral-health- professionals/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Random Post 2

     Every time I sent down to write this assignment, I have no idea where to start. I guess I am just do what I did last time and just treat this like a free write. It's odd that it is already April. The school year is extremely close to being over, and I cannot wait for summer. I plan on staying in LA for the summer, and it will be my first summer ever away from home. Honestly, I am both excited and sad. So for this post, I will talk about the pros and cons that I am anticipating for the upcoming summer.      I am excited because I feel like I have only been able to experience Los Angeles as a student. Most of my days and time are spent with the "Fryft" zone, and I am always busy. In summer, even though I will be working, my days will be more structured, and I can plan to do specific events based off this simple schedule. Additionally, one of my roommates will be staying in Los Angeles, and the rest are going across the country; therefore, we get to have ...
Read more

World We Dare to Imagine Post 1

     From all standards, I am FAR from perfect. I overthink, overreact, underachieve, etc. I am the definition of imposter syndrome and not believing I am doing enough. However, one thing that I can say proudly say that I strive to do everyday is be grateful and happy. Wherever I go, I try to smile and look at the positive. I try to uplift others and "hold a mirror" to their faces, so they can realize how amazing they are because that is the truth. Humanity and everyone around us is amazing.     That daily goal of mine ultimately boils down to kindness. It is not hard to be kind. Be respectful, be understanding, and be aware that everyone is going through their own problems. I typically try to share my kindness through humor. I love when I can help people smile and laugh even if it is just for a second. All I want to do is try to make their day better.      So ultimately, in a world I dare to imagine, I think the first step is for everyone to be k...
Read more

Book 2, Post 1

     For my second book, I would like to read  Feel Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal. I chose this book because I am a big believer in living life to the fullest and embracing the idea that "you only live once." I want to be successful and productive in my future, but my first priority is that it makes me happy and satisfied. I have never seen the point of doing something that I genuinely do not enjoy because we never know how much time we have. Therefore, I think this book would be a really good resource for me to find ways to see how I continue my philosophy and still help set up my future.  I do not know what to expect from this book because I  have no clue on what ideas it will suggest. I hope to gain a lot from this because I  am always willing to learn more. I truly hope to find successful and productive ideas that make me happy but also not set me up for failure. I have always been scared of the future ...
Read more