There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK
This study aims to critically discuss factors associated with a recent dramatic rise in recorded mental health issues amongst UK youth. It draws from interviews and focus groups undertaken with young people, parents and professionals. We offer valuable new insights into significant issues affecting...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/8200 |
| _version_ | 1818065231673294848 |
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| author | Jo Bell Marie Reid Judith Dyson Annette Schlosser Tim Alexander |
| author_facet | Jo Bell Marie Reid Judith Dyson Annette Schlosser Tim Alexander |
| author_sort | Jo Bell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to critically discuss factors associated with a recent dramatic rise in recorded mental health issues amongst UK youth. It draws from interviews and focus groups undertaken with young people, parents and professionals. We offer valuable new insights into significant issues affecting young people’s mental health and well-being that are grounded in their lived experiences and in those who care for and work with them. By means of a thematic analysis of the data, we identified an increase in anxiety related to: future orientation, social media use, education, austerity, and normalization of mental distress and self-harm. We apply the notion of ontological security in our interpretation of how socio-cultural and political changes have increased anxiety amongst young people and consequent uncertainty about the self, the world and the future, leading to mental health problems. There are also problems conceptualizing and managing adolescent mental health, including increased awareness, increased acceptance of these problems, and stigmatisation. We relate this to the tendency for moral panic and widespread dissemination of problems in a risk society. In our conclusion, we highlight implications for future research, policy and practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:48:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e24dd04083094f368ff9e2de589d7fdf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2532-2044 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:48:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-e24dd04083094f368ff9e2de589d7fdf2022-12-22T01:44:31ZengPAGEPress PublicationsQualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare2532-20442019-08-013210.4081/qrmh.2019.8200There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UKJo Bell0Marie Reid1Judith Dyson2Annette Schlosser3Tim Alexander4Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, HullFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, HullFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, HullFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, HullFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, HullThis study aims to critically discuss factors associated with a recent dramatic rise in recorded mental health issues amongst UK youth. It draws from interviews and focus groups undertaken with young people, parents and professionals. We offer valuable new insights into significant issues affecting young people’s mental health and well-being that are grounded in their lived experiences and in those who care for and work with them. By means of a thematic analysis of the data, we identified an increase in anxiety related to: future orientation, social media use, education, austerity, and normalization of mental distress and self-harm. We apply the notion of ontological security in our interpretation of how socio-cultural and political changes have increased anxiety amongst young people and consequent uncertainty about the self, the world and the future, leading to mental health problems. There are also problems conceptualizing and managing adolescent mental health, including increased awareness, increased acceptance of these problems, and stigmatisation. We relate this to the tendency for moral panic and widespread dissemination of problems in a risk society. In our conclusion, we highlight implications for future research, policy and practice.https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/8200Young peopleMental healthWell-beingOntological securityMoral panicLived experiences |
| spellingShingle | Jo Bell Marie Reid Judith Dyson Annette Schlosser Tim Alexander There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK Qualitative Research in Medicine & Healthcare Young people Mental health Well-being Ontological security Moral panic Lived experiences |
| title | There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK |
| title_full | There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK |
| title_fullStr | There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK |
| title_full_unstemmed | There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK |
| title_short | There’s just huge anxiety: ontological security, moral panic, and the decline in young people’s mental health and well-being in the UK |
| title_sort | there s just huge anxiety ontological security moral panic and the decline in young people s mental health and well being in the uk |
| topic | Young people Mental health Well-being Ontological security Moral panic Lived experiences |
| url | https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/qrmh/article/view/8200 |
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