The generation of the 21st century in America has had rising rates of depression/anxiety, suicide, substance abuse and general emptiness.

The 21st century generation is a generation absorbed by technology. There are problems at hand with this generation that no other generation has ever dealt with before that lead to these issues. Things they may not even realize are issues until it’s too late.

Almost all young people have some source of social media and some of them let it define who they are. They define themselves by the amount of followers they have, or the number of likes they get on a post, but none of this matters nor should it define someone’s self worth. There is, also, the harsh world of cyberbullying. 

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying done through social media. It occurs when someone attacks or threatens someone else by using a social media site. This has lead to some people feeling so degraded by what another person said or did on the internet that they would harm themselves or even take their own precious life; it is a big deal.

The media has caused many problems for this generation. They have done it through the internet, through movies, and through about any other source they can.  It lets them know every time disaster occurs. It shows them what love “should” be like. It shows them what success “should” look like. It sets unattainable standards for the average person but makes them want to reach those standards, and when they don’t, they are left feeling depressed and empty.

People say that depression isn’t a real condition and that it is all in the head. They say that today’s generation doesn’t know what they’re talking about and that they’re just faking it for attention. This isn’t true; depression is a real and current situation that needs to be dealt with.

Schools and parents should begin teaching their kids self love and respect. A lot of kids feel worthless and unimportant, but that boost of confidence could be what they need to get back up. They should also teach kids how to be responsible and mature on social media and the severe effects that cyberbullying can cause. On the other hand, kids need to know that their life is determined by them, not by what the school system or someone on a social media site says.