To wonder whether the increase in teen anxiety is the result of

[ivegotmyteddybear]

Fewer sah parents and more nursery when small?

I'm genuinely NOT being goady. It's an opinion I hold, and would like it to be challenged.

I’m not sure.

My guess would be that we are now obsessing over mental health to the level where people are self diagnosing, so the incidences seem higher.

That and a lack of time spent outdoors in nature.

Agreed this too!

When I was a teenager, everyone had shit times, feeling low, confused, not good enough, scared, under pressure. It’s part and parcel of growing up. Lots of hormones raging around!

Mental health just wasn’t a thing then and now it’s an obsession.

For my DD I think it's lack of time outdoors and not enough exercise, left with nothing to do but scroll through phone my DD becomes v. introspective and self-critical. A long walk, game of catch and some time running around with her friends and she is completely restored. Walking to and from school is good for her too, some neutral time with lots to see really helps her unwind. I also give her lots of freedom to go out on her own and meet up with her friends, because I feel that sends the message that the world is safe. If you are always fretting and scared about life it definitely rubs off. She is a very sensible teen though.
I think of my DD in the same way I would a collie, lots of fresh air, exercise and a job to do and she is happy. Leave her stuck indoors all day and she is (self) destructive.
Nursery was great for my DD, she did loads of (really revoltingly messy) stuff I would never have let her do, and they really pushed her physically too.

Is there actually more anxiety now or are we all just obsessed with talking about it all the time?

I think it's a good thing that people are talking about it more.

However, I do think it was always there under the surface.

I think its social media too
.
Even if you had a phones off at 5pm rule, you can't protect them from the resulting FOMO and social exclusion.

Social media IMO

Fwiw, I do think this is true @ivegotmyteddybear

Society media doesn't help, but to me full time nursery from a very young age is worse and it shows in later years.

What are you basing this opinion you hold on, exactly?

We spend too much time pathologising perfectly normal human emotions. Added to the constant social media onslaught, it results in wht we are seeing.

I also think there is something in what you are saying OP.

Social media.
Not being allowed to fail.
Being the centre of attention constantly.
Not able to laugh at yourself.
Constant praise.
Excusing poor behaviour.
No consequences.
24hr stimulation.
Lack of independent play.
Lack of boredom.
Being pandered to.

I believe the rise in anxiety is due to social media and the way society / schools etc seem to want a label for everything. Things are tough but so times teenagers need to told that coping and dealing with issues is part of life. Anxiety is something thst we all feel - what has happened it is continually used as an excuse

They need to get out of their heads and into their bodies. Children are disconnected from nature and are mentally overstimulated basically all the time. Really sad and I don't know what the answer is because my teens think I am mad for saying this.

@MakeMineALarge1

Social media. Not being allowed to fail. Being the centre of attention constantly. Not able to laugh at yourself. Constant praise. Excusing poor behaviour. No consequences. 24hr stimulation. Lack of independent play. Lack of boredom. Being pandered to.

Agreed. All of which are subconsciously encouraged by MN, where a kid is never ‘just naughty’.

I think there is a link, along with other factors such as social media, pressure in schools, and so many other things too. Margot Sunderland talks about long term research linking stress, reduced attachment and parental responsiveness, to increased lifelong reactivity to stressors. Of course though we all need food on the table too!

Constant bloody talking about mental health pathologises normal teen emotions.

The SLT are obsessed with it at DD's comp!

My teen has terrible anxiety , she was with me for birth until playgroup at 3.3 !

@SmileEachDay

What are you basing this opinion you hold on, exactly?

Life.

@JackieweaverhasALLtheauthority

We spend too much time pathologising perfectly normal human emotions. Added to the constant social media onslaught, it results in wht we are seeing.

I also think there is something in what you are saying OP.

Yes. We label normal emotions way too much

Life

In what way?

Catastrophising normal behaviour.
You can't be down, you're depressed.
You can't be nervous, you're suffering from anxiety.
You can't fail at anything nowadays.
I wonder how many people say to their kids, life's not fair, crack on love, when their kids are whining?

Margot Sunderland talks about long term research linking stress, reduced attachment and parental responsiveness, to increased lifelong reactivity to stressors.

I think there may well be something in this, but none of the studies I have seen link reduced attachment or parental responsiveness to maternal employment. On the contrary, most of them find that there is no effect. This is backed up by the anecdotal evidence that I see around me.

I do think parental stress is likely to impact on children, but women can be stressed and isolated whether they WOH or SAH.

I think games consoles and phone games cause anxiety. I downloaded a phone game recently and had to delete it after a few days as it was a game where I was playing against the clock and I could feel my anxiety levels rising. It wasn't a relaxing game at all.

For my asd dcs it was school that made them anxious.