Story at a glance Data management firm Harmony Healthcare IT recently released a report on the state of Gen Zers mental health. As part of the report, the firm conducted a survey on Gen Zers…
I was only discussing the definition of a disorder. But if you want to get into sophistry and impotent political venting, sure. If 60% of people can’t make connections with others or hold down a job because of their mental health, I question anyone who would call that anything but a disordered society, and that includes you saying it’s “the order of things.”
That said, this is an informal self-reported poll with a possibly exaggerated headline. It’s entirely possible the actual disorder most of GenZ has is self-diagnosis and identity culture, in which if one doesn’t have a disorder or three, one becomes the weirdo in a group.
I found this line from the article especially telling:
The survey also showed that 2 out of 5 go to therapy and 53 percent have gotten professional help for mental health at some point.
Notice how 53% is less than 60? And we’d have to assume each and every one of the 53% was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder on those “at some point” visits to come close to supporting the headline’s claim.
I think if measurable socioeconomic markers supported the 60% number, it would be bigger news. Are they more anxious, sure. But again… anxiety does not imply anxiety disorder. As it stands, publishing inaccurate headlines like this makes people take the real issues – and there ARE a lot of big, pervasive societal issues at play – less seriously.
(And because I know y’all need to hear it: if you, dear reader, have a professional diagnosis, none of this is talking about you.)
I don’t think it’s quite fair to unload on genZ about self diagnosis when access to medical care is restricted and understaffed as it is here in America. Another way to see it is at least genZ is concerned with their mental health and concerned enough about other people’s that theyve set to normalizing it.
I’m sure if therapy were blanket covered by insurance than 9 out of 10 people wouldve gone by now. All those numbers are only indicative of how many people could afford, what’s often considered elective, medical care.
And then how many received a diagnosis just so the doctor knew they’d get paid? $$$ in medicine fucks up all our stats, which fucks up all the conclusions we draw from them.
I’m aware. That was the point of me pointing out that you’d have to assume all 53% had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. It’s incredibly unrealistic. And yet 60% have a disorder? There is absolutely self-diagnosis happening.
I was only discussing the definition of a disorder. But if you want to get into sophistry and impotent political venting, sure. If 60% of people can’t make connections with others or hold down a job because of their mental health, I question anyone who would call that anything but a disordered society, and that includes you saying it’s “the order of things.”
That said, this is an informal self-reported poll with a possibly exaggerated headline. It’s entirely possible the actual disorder most of GenZ has is self-diagnosis and identity culture, in which if one doesn’t have a disorder or three, one becomes the weirdo in a group.
I found this line from the article especially telling:
Notice how 53% is less than 60? And we’d have to assume each and every one of the 53% was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder on those “at some point” visits to come close to supporting the headline’s claim.
I think if measurable socioeconomic markers supported the 60% number, it would be bigger news. Are they more anxious, sure. But again… anxiety does not imply anxiety disorder. As it stands, publishing inaccurate headlines like this makes people take the real issues – and there ARE a lot of big, pervasive societal issues at play – less seriously.
(And because I know y’all need to hear it: if you, dear reader, have a professional diagnosis, none of this is talking about you.)
I don’t think it’s quite fair to unload on genZ about self diagnosis when access to medical care is restricted and understaffed as it is here in America. Another way to see it is at least genZ is concerned with their mental health and concerned enough about other people’s that theyve set to normalizing it.
I’m sure if therapy were blanket covered by insurance than 9 out of 10 people wouldve gone by now. All those numbers are only indicative of how many people could afford, what’s often considered elective, medical care.
And then how many received a diagnosis just so the doctor knew they’d get paid? $$$ in medicine fucks up all our stats, which fucks up all the conclusions we draw from them.
Going to therapy doesn’t mean you have a disorder.
I’m aware. That was the point of me pointing out that you’d have to assume all 53% had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. It’s incredibly unrealistic. And yet 60% have a disorder? There is absolutely self-diagnosis happening.