SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 26 Aug (EUROPA PRESS) –
Tamara Cabrera, psychologist and secretary of the board at the Official College of Psychology (COP) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, stated on Monday that although the “relentless rise” of mental symptoms and disorders in the youth demographic was initially linked to the pandemic, it is now recognised that they are more closely associated with familial upbringing, the educational environment, and the use of social media.
Cabrera refers to recent findings from a study carried out by La Caixa’s Social Observatory, which reveals that nearly half of young individuals aged between 16 and 32 report experiencing emotional distress, yet only half seek assistance from professionals to address it.
In this context, the Official College of Psychology of Santa Cruz de Tenerife underscores the significance of teaching individuals how to seek help and, importantly, not to overly shield them but to educate with responsibility and emotional intelligence.
“While it is true that seeking help has become increasingly normalised, not everyone possesses the ability or knowledge to do so. Furthermore, there exists a segment of the population that extends this normalisation to the belief that everything can be classified as a mental disorder. It is essential to highlight that life presents situations which may lead us to feel sad, unmotivated, or anxious at times without these feelings being pathological,” he noted.
Regarding the root causes of these disorders, Cabrera identifies parental education as a primary influencing factor.
“Frustration is a learned behaviour. If I provide everything, even before it is requested, I do not instil the ability to discern what is genuinely necessary, since everything is readily available. Consequently, when my child desires something and cannot obtain it, they will lack the skills to cope, having not been taught strategies for managing frustration or for waiting for things to materialise or striving for them,” he stated.
“CHALLENGING” CONTEXT
He further noted that we are living in a period that is “challenging on multiple fronts,” and that frustration “is keenly felt.”
“The inflated academic requirements for entering university courses, the limited job vacancies, and the high expenses of gaining independence all contribute to the difficulty that these generations face when adapting to change. They struggle to progress, as this reality does not align with their previous experiences. This situation impacts not just the professional sphere but also emotional relationships,” he elaborated.
He added that “social media can hinder the experience of living with frustration.”
“On these platforms, aspects of people’s lives or experiences are shared, but this is not always 100% genuine, often highlighting only the positive aspects and failing to promote critical thinking. It tends to encourage comparisons, as individuals aspire to live certain moments in particular ways, leading to frustration when reality does not meet those expectations,” he remarked.
As a suggestion, Cabrera emphasises that the paramount focus should be on providing guidance, assisting children and young people through each stage of development. This involves teaching them to take on responsibilities, to participate in decision-making, fostering their ability to make choices, and stressing that if things do not unfold as desired, they must learn to develop alternative methods to achieve their goals or sometimes come to terms with the fact that not everything can transpire as imagined, thus seeking out different options.
