An Analysis of the Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Epidemic

By: Jessica Wang

Humans today are “[living] in a time of extraordinarily fast technological change” (Roser, 2023). With the aid of technology, society has become “far richer in 2020 than it was in 2010” (Chace, 2019). The past decade has been characterized by the widespread use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, researchers have gathered increasing evidence that adolescent mental well-being is declining “in conjunction with the rise of smartphone access and increased internet use” (Twenge et al., 2021). As a matter of fact, mental health issues have become so prevalent that it is experienced by an estimate of one in seven young adults worldwide (UNICEF, 2021). 

A 2019 study by the World Health Organization (WHO) found depression and anxiety to be the two most common mental health disorders in the world. The WHO approximated that 8.2% of adolescents aged 10-19 years old struggled with anxiety in 2021, while 3.9% experienced depression. In 2020, the Global Burden of Disease “estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a 27.6% increase… in cases of major depressive disorder…and a 25.6% increase… in cases of anxiety disorders…worldwide” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). COVID-19 created an environment heavily dependent on technology and globally limited in-person socialization, which majorly influenced worldwide incidents of adolescent depression and anxiety.

Technological advancements are fueling the epidemic of adolescent depression and anxiety. The advantages of technology on mental health are outweighed by the negative effects, including physical isolation and cyberbullying. These damages, along with the complex nature of depression and anxiety, support the conclusion that while it is possible to individually prevent these disorders, the eradication of this epidemic is impractical.

Technology as a Cause of Depression and Anxiety

The rapid pace of technological advancements is a major contributing factor to the unprecedented epidemic of adolescent depression and anxiety. Internet use has grown to become a fundamental part of everyday lives, particularly in adolescents. Results from a study of Indian high schoolers indicated a “significant association between internet addiction and depression, anxiety, and stress” (Saikia et al., 2019). 85.7% of internet-addicted participants experienced depression, and 83.3% of internet-addicted participants experienced anxiety.

Studies revealed that an average of 35.8% of worldwide daily online activities were spent on social media in 2024 (Kemp, 2024). Although social media allows users to digitally communicate with friends around the world, it “can never be a replacement for real-world human connection” (Robinson, 2024). Despite its initial purpose to serve as a means of communication, social media use ironically increases feelings of loneliness. Social media creates unrealistic beauty and success standards, which lead to comparison and self-esteem issues among young users. Holding oneself to the unattainable standards of airbrushed models and luxurious vacations creates insecurities, which often escalate into depression or anxiety.

Another problem created by a highly digitalized society includes cyberbullying, which can also contribute to depression and anxiety. As technology advances, cyberbullying rates have increased due to internet anonymity, habits of sharing content, and cravings for likes. Data collected by the WHO/Europe from 2018 to 2022 indicated that “reports of being cyberbullied have escalated from 12% to 15% for boys and from 13% to 16% for girls” (Bhatnagar, 2024). Common instances of cyberbullying include users posting anonymous, negative comments about others that are believed to be private or temporary. Social media platforms encourage users to share content with peers, resulting in habitual forwarding and screenshotting of cyberbullying posts and messages. Desires for followers also motivate attention-seeking users to play pranks and jokes that are actually classified as bullying. In many situations, “the need for approval on social media can, and many times does, override better judgment and empathy” (“Cyberbullying: 6 Reasons Why It’s So Common”, 2021). Both cyberbullies and victims are more prone to feelings of depression and anxiety than adolescents who are not involved with bullying.

Other Causes of Depression and Anxiety

Adolescent depression and anxiety disorders can also be attributed to causes aside from technology, including genetic factors and personal experiences. Individuals who have relatives with depression have been found to have a “2 or 3 times greater risk of developing depression compared with the average person” (Levinson et al.). On the same note, children with parents diagnosed with an anxiety disorder “can be as much as 7 times more likely to develop an anxious disorder themselves” (Bauer et al., 2024). Both depression and anxiety are controlled by multiple genes, but the exact genes remain unknown by modern scientists, resulting in added difficulties when treating these conditions.

Personal experiences, such as childhood trauma and socioeconomic disadvantages, have also been shown to have strong associations with the development of depression and anxiety disorders in adolescents. A study was conducted in 2022 to explore the impacts of childhood maltreatment on depression and anxiety in 2,691 Chinese adolescents, ranging from ages 9-17 years old. Researchers were able to conclude that “individuals who are abused early on are more likely to develop depression and anxiety” (Li et al., 2024). Moreover, socioeconomic disadvantages can cause individuals to be more prone to developing these conditions. The relationship between financial disadvantage and poor mental health is bi-directional, meaning impoverishment is both a contributing factor and a consequence of poor mental health. A systematic review found underprivileged children and adolescents to have a two to three times higher chance of developing mental health problems (Reiss, 2013). Scientists have hypothesized that this connection is due to individuals’ incapability of fulfilling their desires and obligations in situations of limited financial resources.

Impractically of Curing the Epidemic

Contributors of adolescent depression and anxiety can be classified into two categories: genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors refer to depression and anxiety genes inherited from parents, whereas environmental factors encompass technological impacts and personal experiences. Though more research is needed to find the dominating cause of depression and anxiety, scientists infer that “50% of the cause is genetic, and around 50% is unrelated to genes” (Levinson et al).

Despite possibilities of future advancements in technology and science, eradication of the adolescent depression and anxiety epidemic remains unfeasible. It could be reasoned that as scientists develop a better understanding of the genes causing depression and anxiety, innovations in gene therapy can help cure these conditions. Gene therapy is defined as “a technique that modifies a person’s genes to treat or cure disease” (Food and Drug Administration [FDA], 2018). By replacing depression or anxiety-causing genes with healthy genes, scientists may be able to eliminate these mental health disorders in adolescents, possibly ending the worldwide epidemic. 

However, depression and anxiety are often due to both genetic and environmental factors, and incidents of isolation, cyberbullying, trauma, and socioeconomic disadvantages cannot be prevented through scientific innovations. Although improvements in gene therapy may be capable of curing genetic depression and anxiety, further technological advancements will continue to increase social isolation and cyberbullying. Depression and anxiety caused by environmental and technological factors outweigh gene therapy solutions in scope, for more people will be negatively affected by future technological advances. Even if technological innovations allowed widespread access to gene therapy, this procedure must be targeted to specific individuals and requires the work of several laboratory professionals. On the other hand, millions of people can be impacted after reading negative posts on social media. Researchers have found that “negative content is much more likely to spread” than positive content on social media (Senz, 2021). In this way, innovations in gene therapy will not be able to keep up with possible additional cases of adolescent depression and anxiety created by rapid technological progress.

One may also argue that further technological development will allow for more extensive access to mental health resources and treatment. Widespread internet use facilitates the public to better understand mental health. Mental well-being apps, hotlines, and online therapists can offer convenient, low-cost, and anonymous care to adolescents struggling with depression or anxiety. In 2001, it was reported that “nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional” due to stigma, discrimination, and neglect (WHO, 2001). In many cultures, depression and anxiety are stigmatized as signs of weakness and incompetence, preventing individuals from seeking help. Increased efforts in mental health awareness through technology will help eliminate the stigma around these conditions, motivating the public to use mental health resources. 

Contrary to this argument, though additional access to mental health resources may allow more individuals to seek help, it does not equate to fewer cases of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders. During Medieval times, mental health disorders were severely condemned due to complete misunderstandings of these conditions. The modern public has a significantly better understanding of mental disorders, and “efforts to raise awareness about mental health issues have grown significantly” (Gibson, 2023). Ironically, depression and anxiety rates, especially in younger generations, have risen dramatically despite added resources, therapists, and campaigns. Researchers reported that “between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety increased by 50%” (WHO, 2023). This indicates that the speed of improvement in mental health resources cannot match the speed of depression and anxiety caused by technological advancements or other environmental factors. Technology is developing at an unprecedented rate, giving humans access to all attainable knowledge in the world. Increased access to knowledge results in humans requiring more and better entertainment to feel satisfied and happy. Though more mental health resources, therapists, and awareness can reduce depression and anxiety in small groups of individuals, catching up with and eliminating mental health issues caused by such speedy technological development is impossible.

Possible Interventions

Though it is impossible to prevent the adolescent depression and anxiety epidemic on a worldwide scale, parents can improve mental health by building positive relationships with and creating safe environments for their children. Experts recommend that caregivers take children’s opinions seriously, be open to discussing problems, and join in shared activities to prevent feelings of loneliness. Parents should openly communicate about online activities with adolescents, encourage them to ignore cyberbullies, and seek therapy if necessary. Instead of confiscating devices, which often “creat[es] anxiety and withdrawal symptoms” in children, caregivers can be good role models, limit social media use, and foster interests in physical activities (Robinson et al., 2024). Adolescents themselves can strive to develop a healthy lifestyle by eating well, building social connections, and getting good sleep. Depression and anxiety disorders cannot be eradicated globally, but individual families can play their role in avoiding environmental factors known to cause these conditions.

Conclusion

Technological advancements have created an irreversible worldwide epidemic of adolescent depression and anxiety. One in seven adolescents suffer from depression or anxiety, and these conditions have become the most common mental health disorders worldwide. Internet addiction, cyberbullying, genetics, and personal experiences are the key causes of adolescent depression and anxiety. Culture stigma and a lack of scientific knowledge are preventing people from seeking help as needed. Development in research tools and improved mental health awareness may help a fraction of depressed or anxious individuals, but they will not catch up to the speed at which technology is causing these conditions. This epidemic is impossible to prevent, but efforts can be made individually to work towards better mental health in teens worldwide.

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