The Mind is Not Well…

The stats simplify the reality of this context in which we are living.

The mind is not doing well. The mind is not doing well, at all.

The heart is unsure how to help the mind cope with the world in which we are living.

With each data point, we’re compelled to pause and assess what these numbers actually mean. Yes, they give us an insight into the mental health space, but it goes without saying: this is only a piece of an intricate puzzle.

As we unravel how we’re feeling – and why we’re feeling – these emotions, it is important to evaluate what has led to this outcome.

There’s an innate part of me that questions whether our psyches are simply products of their time. As things – the rolling waves of life – become ever-greater, undulating and extreme, do our thoughts likewise take on a more significant form? As life intensifies… well, isn’t it only natural that our worries keep in step? Our way of life is progressing, facilitated by technological advancements, and as such, our priorities move and shake. We no longer need to stress about satisfying those basic needs, such as hunting or fending away wild creatures; rather, now, in order to thrive as humans, we yearn for obstacles of another calibre. The result? Increased pressure for self-fulfilment, levied by ourselves, on ourselves.

The undercurrent flowing through this day and age is a human drive to find some kind of purpose – our reason for existing, and our coinciding place in this world. But, people’s idea of success and meaning has rapidly changed over the years. Moreover, we now have a gadget to compare how well we’re all doing in this life.

What once made our parents happy, no longer brings unadulterated joy into our lives. They craved stability: a nine-to-five job, steady income, marriage and children, a dog and the house-with-the-white-picket-fence. The whole kit and caboodle. But, when we look at Gen Y and Z, the priorities are different. There’s a declining rate of millennials buying homes or tying the knot. Indeed, house prices are increasing, and the thought of home ownership is a daunting (and ostensibly unattainable) concept for many. Also, a tertiary degree no longer translates to work. You might attain that oh-so-holy sheet of paper, but not secure a job… and that’s scary. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle: we’re piecing the bits together in another way and creating a reality that is different from that in which our parents existed.