Steps Family Therapy

  Is There Really More Mental Illness Nowadays? Part 2: Factors to Consider The last post discussed how mental illness can get passed along while taking different forms, some of which aren’t detectable with current diagnostic criteria. The younger generations technically have higher observable rates of clinical diagnoses, but there is a lot to understand behind those numbers. There are factors for and against the idea that there really is more mental illness nowadays. Research Methods. First we must consider how data is collected. The definition of “depression” looked different 30, 60, and 90 years ago. Someone who is generally unhappy with low energy and motivation now qualifies as “depressed.” Back then, this person was just grouchy and lazy and they had to get over it. Survey answers would look very different. Definitions of mental illnesses are still being modified. Research methods were much less refined in the past, and the internet has drastically changed how social research...

This post is included in the podcast episode: "What's the Matter with Kids Today?" https://podcasts.apple.com/.../steps-with.../id1634436916... https://open.acast.com/.../63648cced727ca00128c00bc.MP3 I often hear those of older generations expressing confusion about the apparent increase of mental illness these days; it seems like every college student and teenager is on psychotropic meds. So, is there actually more anxiety and depression? The short answer is YES, at least according to observable data of conditions as defined by the DSM. But the question is more complicated than that. When taking other factors into account, there are some ways that mental illness prevalence has not changed much, or that changes make sense in context. I’ll start with a common mental illness transmission course through three generations: -Imagine a set of parents raised through the Great Depression and WWII. Due to scarcity of resources, threat of war, and competition in society, they disso...

  But what do these really mean? I think the second truth is more pervasive, but subtly misunderstood. When most people hear “you can always be better,” they take it to mean that however they are now is “not good enough”, thus inducing anxiety to change themselves. If you have to change in any way to be a worthwhile human being, it doesn’t matter what kind of change it is, it’s going to be hard. There’s way too much at stake to not feel anxiety about it. This kind of anxiety keeps people from reaching their potential in physical health, education, careers, and relationships. It’s the reason “perfect becomes the enemy of good.” This anxiety creates the false sense that there is an end to your improvement: "some people really do 'arrive' and can then be happy, and you’re behind." No matter how much it seems like some people have it all figured out, it’s just not the case. No matter how smart, loving, strong, attractive, or wealthy you become, you can always become more ...

 When you’re feeling overwhelmed with work, family, and other responsibilities, and your boss asks you to stay late to do something outside your job description, it would be appropriate for you to say No. And, it would not be appropriate to get a tongue lashing from your boss. It might also be appropriate to say No when your friend asks you to bail him out of jail again, even if you have more than enough money to afford it. And it wouldn’t be appropriate for said friend to criticize you. Recently, I’ve been feeling frustrated when I ask my 4 year old to do things (shut the fridge, pick up his wrapper, bring me my phone) and he says No. I get the urge to make some comment about how he’s rude, ungrateful, or just that he’s hurting my feelings. But I know that would only be harmful. Why? Because all actions have consequences, but none of my child’s actions should have the consequence of hurting our relationship: it’s not something a child should have to worry about. I want him to feel...