Argumentative Research Paper: Mental Health (Essay Sample)

Cross-generational approach to mental health. Student’s name Course title Professor’s name Date Abstract Mental health is a cross-generational issue that touches all facets of society. This research paper looks at how mental health can be addressed comprehensively instead of the piecemeal approach focusing on one segment of society at a time. There are six cited studies on how mental health is addressed in different parts of society, and they will form the basis of our comprehensive approach to mental health. The institutional deficiencies in tackling mental health are also addressed, and numerous remedies are proposed. Background The twenty-first century has ushered in new methods and hope of addressing mental health globally. Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and The American Psychological Association are at the forefront of conducting research and issuing recommendations on how mental health is handled across different facets of society. Children, teenagers and adults are all affected by mental health directly. There is consensus that the impact of social stress and harsh environment disproportionally affects children, but that does not imply that subsequent age groups should be ignored. “A study investigating the prevalence of mental illness among university students found that the lifetime prevalence of at least one mental illness was 35.3%, and the 12-month prevalence was 31.4%.” (Lai et al.) Social media greatly impacts mental health as teenagers are hooked to computing devices for hours. The negative effects of social media also exist for the older generation, albeit less severe, so they should also be addressed. There is also a debate on what aspects should be included in the school curriculum and how teachers should approach the topic when addressing different age groups. Since mental health impacts physical and emotional well-being, further research is needed to keep up with the evolving issues, especially social media and other modern technology (Manwell et al.). Merging the findings from the cited studies is key in finding long-term solutions to mental health across different population ages. It is evident from the cited studies that a global cross-generational approach to addressing mental health is the best way to achieve long-term success in this field. Thesis: Piecemeal approach to mental health has impacted the effectiveness of addressing cross-generational mental health challenges. Methodology An internet search is conducted on Google Scholar, Pubmed, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR), Cochrane Library, the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and CINALHL using the following key terms: Mental health impact on the youth, mental health impact on older people, mental health curriculum and social media impact on mental health. Other key terms used in the search are physical impact, emotional impact, health crises, government health policy and global response. The studies are selected based on the weight they contribute to this mental health argumentative research paper and their relevance to cross-generational mental health. Discussions The studies found that multiple factors impact mental health across different generations and social classes. Various proposals address social media's impact on mental health, school mental health curriculum and how to understand mental health's effects better. Further research is required as mental health is an involving issue, especially where it intersects with technology. Social media is identified as having the highest negative mental impact on the young generation, especially those below twenty years old (Schønning et al.). The first point of concern is the addiction to social media. The studies indicated that social media sites are designed to be addictive since their revenue model depends on users spending lots of hours browsing the site. The addiction causes a decrease in the concentration span which in turn impacts the academic performance of young people. The studies find that excessive use of social media is linked to mental health diseases like Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can be lifelong if not treated early enough. Internet is accessible to various social classes across the globe, so this challenge exists even for people with low incomes. Another negative effects that affect all age groups of social media are sleep deprivation. The studies recommend limiting social media use to less than two hours daily, especially among young people (Walsh). It is worth noting that CEOs of popular social media platforms like TikTok don't let their children aged below fifteen on social media; hence we should all follow their example. Including mental health in the school the curriculum has numerous long-term benefits, as the studies indicate (Walsh). Society better understands mental health, ensuring all age groups receive appropriate knowledge and dispel misleading myths. Mental health education should start in the formative years of school, and teachers should caution pupils on the hazards of pursuing academic excellence to the detriment of mental health. Young people should be equipped to identify and handle mental health challenges. School counselling centres must be established and fully equipped since they are the first point of reference in addressing mental health problems for young people. The school curriculum should extend to other age groups, like nurses working in elderly homes, so that all age groups receive appropriate mental health care. The coordination of mental health curriculum across different wealth classes and age groups is one of the most impactful solutions in the long term. Mental health is best understood when the learning is integrated into other subjects instead of being taught as a standalone subject. "A new study found that individuals involved in social media, games, texts, mobile phones, etc. are more likely to experience depression." (Karim et al.) The studies indicate that our daily routine, like physical exercises, getting sufficient sleep and eating a nutritionally balanced diet, should have an overall objective of improving mental health. There is no magic bullet for improving mental health; various actions are required to understand and achieve it. Some studies downplay the negative impact of social media on mental health while dismissing other mental health issues as having genetic origins. "The wide reach and near ubiquitous use of social media platforms may afford novel opportunities to address these shortfalls in existing mental health care by enhancing the quality, availability, and reach of services." (Naslund et al.)The studies have merit as social media positively impacts young people as it helps them socialize on a global scale and conduct various research projects. Established genetic factors predispose different individuals to mental health problems (Manwell et al.). The positive aspects of social media's impact on mental health should not negate caution taken when exposing young people and the older generation to social media. Screen time should always be limited to avoid negative effects like sleep deprivation and depression. The genetic causes of mental health problems should also be addressed, as research has shown that they can be successfully treated. Annotated Bibliography Karim, Fazida, et al. “Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review.” Cureus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 15 June 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7364393/. Karim, Fazida, et al. examine how social media use is related to mental health. The study is conducted by summarizing more than fifteen papers involving both qualitative and longitudinal studies. The studies found that there is a huge knowledge gap that exists on the mental health impact of social media use. Among young people, social media is established as a cause of envy as there is a constant comparison of social status which can lead to depression and anxiety. The negative impact extends to adults as the habit of social status comparison can be a lifelong endeavour. The study recommends that the findings be applied to social sciences and not be confined to the medical field. The study recommends limiting social media use across all age groups to reduce negative effects like depression and suicide. Lai, Hsuan-Jung, et al. “The Effectiveness of Mental Health Literacy Curriculum among Undergraduate Public Health Students.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Apr. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9104026/. Lai, Hsuan-Jung, et al. discusses the role of mental health literacy among public health students. The study focuses on 48 public health students who attended a four-and-a-half monthly course and measured their Mental health literacy (MHL) score at the end of their studies. The study found that integrating mental health literacy with the broader healthcare curriculum improved the skills and understanding of public health students. The studies recommend including a mental health unit in other courses that don't involve health sciences to improve the social experience of mental health. Manwell, Laurie A, et al. “What Is Mental Health? Evidence towards a New Definition from a Mixed Methods Multidisci...