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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Depression in teenage girls on the rise

56 replies

RedToothBrush · 18/05/2018 18:32

amp.theguardian.com/society/2018/may/18/poorest-brightest-girls-uk-depressed-study-teenagers-mental-health?__twitter_impression=true
Poorest and brightest girls more likely to be depressed – UK study
Research into 14-year-olds renews concern over rising rates of teenage mental illness

They add to growing evidence that teenage girls are particularly vulnerable to mental health difficulties. NHS figures show there were sharp increases between 2005/06 and 2015/16 in the number of girls under 18 admitted to hospital in England because they had self-harmed by cutting (up 285%), poisoning (42%) or hanging themselves (331%).

The Samaritans made an observation in this year's suicide report that there were signs that suicide in young women could be on the rise but it was too early to state it was a definite trend.

Cleverer girls also had a significantly higher risk of having high depressive symptoms at 14, she said, and she was doing further research to calculate that risk more precisely among those with “higher childhood cognitive scores”.

Krause said: “Part of it could be that [brighter girls] have a ‘hyper brain’, a more active brain, which often means they have a much higher emotional reaction to things and they are constantly overthinking things

'Pink brains' Teenage girls brains are more hysterical hyperactive? Or something else the researchers don't think of?

We certainly need to be looking at how the use of social media and cyberbullying may affect girls and boys differently.”

Yes. And why would that be?

Dr Nick Waggett, chief executive of the Association of Child Psychotherapists, said it was unhelpful to highlight bright or poor girls as being at particular risk “when we already now there is a significant burden of mental illness in children and young people, including adolescent girls, and that there is a substantial shortfall in specialist services for them.”

Hmmm.

Depressing read.

OP posts:
thebewilderness · 20/05/2018 20:35

my personal favourite is the term "vanity sizing"

I ran into that designer gaslighting ploy for the first time in 1974.
I try on a shirt at a department store and discover that at the age of 28 I have shrunk to a size 2 from a size 8. A few years later I tried on a size 00 when the size 2s were too big even for me who likes her clothing loose.
I have the same measurements and weight at 72 that I did at 19 but the marketers want me to have to try on three different sizes to find what effing fits. They hate us. I have no doubt.

FlyTipper · 20/05/2018 20:48

Conditioning is a form of learning > neuronal changes > brain differences.

I don't see any problem with talking about more active girl brains. Girls have different upbringings so, on average, they'll have different brains to boys.

The problem comes when laymen associate this language with born gender brain differences (a la google memo man).

OlennasWimple · 21/05/2018 03:09

What has happened to incidences of anorexia and bulimia among teenage girls? When I was at school there were a number of girls who tried to get some control in their lives by not eating or by vomiting regularly

ThisIsTheFirstStep · 21/05/2018 04:37

I’m only 38 so not ancient but I am constantly shocked by those even just 10 years younger than me.

A lot of women I know in that age group are so obsessed with comparing themselves with others on fb and stuff. It’s always ‘she’s so goregous, I’m a disgusting lump compared to her.’ It just never crossed me and my friends’ minds to sit around thinking about how attractive other women were in comparison to us, but I see it all the time with younger women.

Plus, they are all obsessed with make up and maxing sure they don’t have any body hair ever. Sure, we all wore make up but it was like foundation, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick. Now it’s like primer, contouring, bronzing, blended eyeshadow etcetc. And having no pubes was seen as quite odd. Now it’s a necessity.

I think all this grooming and obsession with looks is part of it. I’m not saying it’s their fault, far from it. Nor am I criticising them. But it’s like: they conform to these ideals and they get called a self obsessed slag, they don’t and they’re a minger.

No one wins.

Plus all the pressure from porn too.

Young men have an outlet in sport, I think we really need to encourage more women to take part in sports too. It may be a plaster not a solution but the increased confidence and reduced depression could help them fight all the shit they’re up against.

womanformallyknownaswoman · 21/05/2018 06:26

When people are subjected to mind control and then can't conform to the mind tampering (in this case afford to do things that lead to conforming to the "norm"), it causes cognitive dissonance - our brains can't hold 2 poles apart aspects - a trite example maybe I need to exercise to look right but can't afford the gym - I can't conform and take part - so I don't belong - there must be something wrong with me that I can't conform etc etc

Social media is deliberately consumerising all aspects of our lives and if one is in poverty and smart enough to have expectations but lack the means to meet those plus is continually surrounded by the propaganda that stigmatises the poor, it will cause mind distress and that can be somaticised. Hence anorexia and depression etc

It's all a result of the inequality and doublethink at play in our society

FlyTipper · 21/05/2018 09:50

FirstStep This is the logical conclusion of the objectification of women: where women preen and pluck themselves into non-human objects for male consumption. I am strongly reminded of the woman/cake metaphor at the end of the Edible Woman.

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