It’s no secret that mental health issues are on the rise. With the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and dementia have all increased dramatically. So what or why caused this rise in mental health issues? A major contributing factor to the increase in mental health issues has been the impact of social media, social distancing, and lack of real-world engagement. We’ve become so accustomed to living our lives online, behind screens, that we are becoming detached from real-life interaction and learning. This form of isolation has taken away the sense of connection and interpersonal skills needed to navigate life’s most complex situations.

The history of manual labor and physical strength was not just to build homes or bridges, but also to build relationships, help with problem solving and establish critical thinking skills. Manual labor connected people in the same ways as today’s technology; the hands on aspect enabled conversations, friendship, teaching and learning from each other in order to work effectively. Having the physical health required to build mental stability went hand in hand. Effectively in history, life skills were interactions face to face, hands on, and stepping stone to mental health stability. Technology has it’s upsides, and the flipsides. Due to the rise of social media, as well as technology, this style of communication is quickly declining. As a result, mental health is taking a toll from this “I’m too busy on my phone to talk to you” mentality, and instead of people leaning on each other and learning essential life skills, they are turning to virtual solutions to these issues.

The younger generations in particular are learning life skills more from their peers through social media instead of having real-life, face-to-face experiences that build skills such as empathy and interpersonal communication. Over a course of time, physical involvement has faded leaving a struggling impact on future generations. In a world where survival is critical in every aspect mentally, physically, and financially. As parents, caregivers, or teachers lacking stability of life skills, challenges the quality of a child’s congitive development. The impact of social media and a lack of real-life engagements has caused what can be considered a “lazy” form of knowledge. It’s impacting our ability to problem solve, think outside the box, and feel motivated to reach our goals. This kind of mentality, when not managed well, can result in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The impact leaves us scratching our heads. Simply because life skills and values don’t seem important or essential to future generations.

My friends, there’s two resources to be “rich” in life : the first is knowledge.. one fact is, there is no price on the power of the mind. Your potential of life skills; knowledge and education can not be taken away from you. Congratulations! It’s yours for as long as you maintain the quality. We all know there are two keys to achieving success in life – knowledge and hard work. You might think that a thousand-dollar Iphone 14 is beautiful, but can it really secure a bright future for you? We all know that money isn’t everything in life. There’s no price tag on knowledge and having an open, eager mind to continue to learn and better yourself is worth much more in the long run. Learning valuable life skills, gaining an education and tapping into your own potential will always be available to you. You don’t need to pay a penny for it, but rather, dedicate your time and energy to unlocking these natural talents within yourself. Money may buy material things and make your life a little bit easier, but when it comes down to it, knowledge and your commitment to the quality of work are far more important for securing a prosperous future. Make sure you make time for education and invest in building your own skills, that way you can be sure of your future no matter what happens.

And number two: hard work, physical and mental abilities. Once we were told that it was creative, thinking outside the box can be a key to future success. This couldn’t stand true anymore in a struggling world. Hard work comes with life skills of experience. Our gains if experience is through interactions with others. A connection to the minds of knowledge and experience. In which wisdom is gained for growth and development. Over time COVID 19 has impacted the connection with others. “Social Distancing” as we know it.

This form of ‘social distancing’ has a large impact on mental health due to the lack of knowledge, skills and overall connection between individuals. Rather than taking the time to learn essential life skills like communication, problem-solving, or thinking outside the box, we are turning to our peers for advice on these topics. Unfortunately, this shift in communication has resulted in what some may describe as ‘lazy thinking’, which greatly impacts motivation and progress. If we hope to break this cycle of increased mental health issues, we must turn to our trusted institutions, whether it be government, healthcare, or even educational, to help support and offer resources to those affected by these issues. Mental health should be an important priority, especially during these difficult times. As individuals, we should also take the time to look out for one another, lend a helping hand and engage in meaningful conversations whenever we can. With collective action, together, we can make a positive impact.

So what’s the solution?

While it’s important to remember that social media is a great tool that can keep us connected to the outside world, it’s essential to practice real-life engagement and learning life skills. Setting aside screen time and reaching out to those around you will go a long way to reducing the impact of mental health issues in today’s world. So, take the time to rekindle the old ways and physical communication, engage in meaningful conversations, help those around you with their mental health, and work together to form a stronger bond and better understand each other. The power of relationships is what helps to sustain mental health in the long run, so put your phone down, lend a helping hand and create meaningful connections.

Until our beautiful minds meet again be safe out there. Much love and many blessings. Remember Everyday Minds Matter-Della 💞🦋