Now it has begun to be mentioned among some experts of the so-called “crisis of the 25”. Although before there was talk of a period similar to 40 years, now these episodes occur at very young ages, as reported by The Spanish among mental health specialists in the European nation.
“We are defining a stage of life marked by decision-making,” said Fernando Azor, a specialist in mental health. Finish high school, select a college option, get a job, pursue a master’s degree, and… Now what? These circumstances that do not give certainty for the individual translate into “a lack of objectives in young people” of the so-called Generation Z, said José Pedro Espada, child and adolescent psychologist and collaborator of the General Council of Psychology of Spain.
Although specialists based in Spain have specific data on the country in which it is shown, according to the latest statistics 36% of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 have been diagnosed with a condition that affects their mental healthregistered the Youth Barometer, Health and Well-being 2021, published by the FAD Youth and Mutua Madrileña Foundations.
In the case of Mexico, the figures are not very positive in this areafor people between 15 and 24 years old, according to the first round of voices-19 a survey applied online in November 2020, 64% of adolescents and 71% of young people presented symptoms of depression.
This is added to an adverse economic outlook for young Mexicans, in which at least 3.6 million young people left their studies in 2020 to generate an income or lost their jobs in the formality .
What has prompted the search for help?
Although in the case of specialists in Spain the reasons are varied, they cannot be focused on one in particular. Espada and Azor point to some variables that are feasible “because there has been more demand or because going to therapy has been normalized.” On the other hand, Javier Ares, a psychologist specializing in anxiety and depression, “the infoxication generated by networks does not help.”
These episodes and this search for solutions is still in its infancy, which differentiates them from other generational groups.
“We have been losing the stigma towards mental health with the new generations,” said Azor. The initiative to address mental health issues comes from the young person and not from the parents, so that it has become a daily issue, Espada pointed out the case of a young patient. “She has told us that all her friends go to a psychologist and she doesn’t.”
We have been losing the stigma towards mental health with the new generations
However, the three specialists consulted by The Spanish They agree that what most delays mental health care is the lack of resources and the lack of availability in public health of these services.
Putting a remedy to this ‘new’ crisis of the 25 can be decisive to face other episodes similar to those that come in a more advanced age.
“Psychological problems do not appear at the age of 40, they normally drag on from a young age,” says Espada.
What brings young people to therapy
Although human behavior is very difficult to classify strictly in this population group studied in Spain, the problems are due to their age. The ones that are repeated the most in consultation are issues such as “love problems, the difficulty in finding a vocation and lack of self-esteem,” said Ares. The latter is relevant above all because young people now show a clear “lack of objectives,” added Espada.
Love problems, difficulty finding a vocation and lack of self-esteem
Choosing to go to therapy or have a support network
The help of a specialist always has an important value, however, it is very useful to surround ourselves with emotional resources and people who accompany us in complex moments such as depression and anxiety, the importance of having an emotional support network of relatives and friends.
“The first thing is to ask for help, not go directly to therapy,” says Espada, “I would recommend that they not always go to a specialist,” he added. Both Espada and Ares agree on “trying to lean on conversations with family or friends.”
The first thing is to ask for help, not go directly to therapy
When you have reached the path of using psychiatric medications, it is important to understand their use and application. It has been documented that psychotropic drugs have become an alternative to prevent suicide, but these have to be consumed with adequate psychological support, “we are facing an emotional and not an organic problem,” says Espada.
Azor also points out the essential role that therapy plays in this treatment: “If you don’t teach the person how to manage their emotions, it is difficult for them not to become chronic and they will surely have to remain medicalized.”