Why Aren't Today's Youth as Happy as Previous Generations?

5 hours ago 9

March 10, 2025 | 05:50 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Throughout history, people may have believed that happiness was like a curve, high in youth, declining in middle age, and rising again in old age. But that may not be the case anymore. A study based on findings in six English-speaking countries has found that young people today are less happy than previous generations.

Research by a UN commission and published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in the United States revealed a decline in life satisfaction and happiness among young people over the past decade. The study was written by Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University, and David G. Blanchflower, an economist from Dartmouth College, and involved data collected from 11 surveys in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. However, studies from other parts of the world have shown similar results.

Reported by Al Jazeera on March 7, 2025, the conclusions of the research by Twenge and Blanchflower debunked the belief in the happiness curve. How significant is this change, and what are the causes of the increasing unhappiness among young people?

What Did the Research Find?

The researchers said that the decline in happiness is most evident in young adults and adolescents aged 12-25. Most of them experience depression and psychological pressure at higher rates compared to those a few years older. Meanwhile, older adults still experience increased life satisfaction as they age.

This surprising change has raised concerns that the younger generation is facing unforeseen challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the growth of digital technology and economic uncertainty.

What Are the Reasons for This Decline in the New Generation?

According to the study's findings, there is a clear link between the decrease in happiness and the increased use of the internet in the era of smartphones and social media. According to the researchers, this is the main difference between the current young generation and previous generations.

The internet is the culprit. "There is no other reason to support this fact," Blanchflower told Al Jazeera.

In 2024, a research survey found that three out of four US teenagers felt happy and at peace when not holding a phone. The researchers behind the 2024 study found that British teenagers and pre-teens were the least happy in Europe and came to the conclusion that social media was the culprit.

Blanchflower's conclusion is supported by research in other countries, including in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, where more and more young people are accessing smartphones. He also conducted research surveying countries in Africa titled The Mental Health of the Young in Africa and published by the NBER in December 2024, which found that about half of the population there never used the internet, but those who did showed more mental health issues.

"The absence of the internet can help explain why the decrease in mental health among young people in Africa is lower than in other places. However, dangers are looming due to the surge in smartphone sales," the study revealed.

Are There Other Triggers?

Not only the internet and smartphones are causing a decrease in happiness among young people. The study also mentioned economic hardship and loneliness as contributing factors. The 2024 World Happiness Report showed that globally, young people under the age of 30 have witnessed a decline in happiness since the COVID-19 pandemic. The most noticeable decline is in the US, which for the first time since 2012 did not make the list of the top 20 happiest countries in the world.

The study's authors acknowledged that more research is needed to understand the reasons for the increasing unhappiness in order to help policymakers take concrete steps to address the situation.

"Concerns about the declining happiness of young people continue and have spread worldwide," said Blanchflower, adding that they need to move away from phones and interact with others.

What About Indonesia?

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin once mentioned in November 2023 that one in 10 people in Indonesia experiences mental health disorders. At that time, the Minister stated that mental health disorders had become a global concern. He categorized mental health disorders into three types: anxiety, marked by restlessness and uneasiness, depression, and in the final stages, schizophrenia.

So, how can we provide support to unhappy individuals who are experiencing mental health disorders and prevent their condition from worsening, or even possibly contemplating suicide? Here are a few things that can be done, according to the mentalhealth.org.uk website.

- Listen to them without judgment and focus on their needs at the time.
- Ask what they need.
- Seek information that can be used to help the sufferer.
- Avoid confrontation.
- Ask if there is someone they want to contact.
- Encourage them to seek appropriate professional help.
- If self-harming, ensure they receive the necessary first aid.

You may initially feel worried about not being able to help or saying something that makes the situation worse. Try to listen more and talk less. Starting a conversation is difficult, but it helps them stay calm. Let them know that they are not alone in facing this problem. This information was quoted from the nhs.uk website.

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