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Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

jonathanhaidt.substack.com

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Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#231

Post by rossdavidh »

nonethewiser wrote: post #133
rossdavidh wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2.5% of 400, or 10, made a suicide attempt requiring medical treatment. That doesn't mean the rest aren't in trouble and in need of help, but it's likely that in a previous decade we could have missed them. Still, 10 out of 400 needing medical treatment for a suicide attempt, is awful, and seems much higher than when I was in high school.

8.9% attempted suicide. Thats what im referring to as nearly 10%

Sure, but if it didn't result in seeking medical care, then maybe nobody ever hears about it. This being true both now, and when we were in high school, it is hard to judge if that number is too high to be plausible or not.

The 2.5% number is more directly comparable to past numbers, if we assume that suicide attempts that lead to requiring medical care are more likely to get reported somehow.

Maybe, in the past, some high schooler one night decides to drive his car faster and faster on a deserted road, hoping that it will end up with death by car wreck. Then, they decide against it, slow down, pull over, cry, and eventually go home. We never hear about it unless they admit to somebody that it happened. But, if they end up putting the car in a ditch and get treated at a hospital, perhaps we do.

My goodness what a depressing topic to comment on. Anyway, hope everybody out there reading this feels ok! If not, it gets better, keep trying!

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#232

Post by tegmark »

medvezhenok wrote: post #166
dukeofdoom wrote: post #149

"About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC's Autism." When I was growing up, basically no one had it. The rates were 1 per 1,000 or lower. So one or two kids in the entire high school. Now you can expect one in your class. Many of these kids are supper naive and vulnerable, just trying to fit in. One reason why the right is skeptical of what is bein…

Sorry to burst your bubble, the rates of Autism likely haven't changed (or changed in a minor way), what has changed is the rate of diagnosis. A lot of the kids currently being diagnosed also have parents that are autistic but undiagnosed. Same thing with ADHD. The paths available in society have gotten less friendly to those with ADHD/Austism (by default), so more people are seeking diagnosis today than in the past.…

[flagged]

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#233

Post by sharadov »

ccleve wrote: post #173
supportengineer wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm at the age where I'm seeing the endgame of this, our cohort of kids & friends are applying to college. They did all these after-school activities, tutors, sports, etc. They were over programmed over achievers. And guess what, even with their 4.5 GPAs and impressive resumes, they aren't getting into the colleges they want (University of California). So what was the point of all that?

Agreed. We're at a point where if you want to get into a top college, you have to be interesting . You must have done something unusual, ambitious, creative, or anything beyond sports or band or violin and a bunch of AP courses. Guess what? Kids who have never had time to play are ones who have never had time to develop cool interests. Jack Nicholson said it best (repeatedly): All work and no play makes Jack a dull b…

Why this burning desire to go to a top college?

I know enough of those who went to these so-called top tier colleges, meanwhile I took my time getting through an average college, but nonetheless exploring interests, making eclectic friends.

Most people around me were treating life like a sprint - My young self even back then knew it was a marathon.

I am not saying be aimless but don't drive yourself crazy at this altar of success - it will come, but there are life lessons you learn in your 20s - that are the foundation for a better life later.

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#235

Post by red-iron-pine »

surge wrote: post #193
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. Maybe they catch you at an awesome time, maybe they don't and they leave- it's a pop-in after all. Keep expectations low. At least you saw them.

I think the advent of cell phones killed the pop in, everyone can call or text now before popping in.

or just shoot a text to say hi and check in.

no need to roll up and see how your week has been, just send someone a how-do and maybe to a 5 min facetime

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#236

Post by tegmark »

honkycat wrote: post #168

we grew up in a less prosperous time than our parents and grandparents so our parents didn't have any time to raise us and were constantly economically terrorized. I will also ALWAYS point out that our parents could go to bars at 18 and actually had places they could gather socially without parental supervision before half-way through college. They put kinds in child jail, tell them to behave or else, make them sit t…

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Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#237

Post by red-iron-pine »

majormajor wrote: post #219
bowsamic wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The kids at the opposite far end of the spectrum are pretty disadvantaged too when they get a job that doesn't have everything planned out for them and where their parents (or their parents ability to pay tuition) have no sway. Especially when their reactions to things not being structured to favor them at every step leads to them having a negative reputation... Those who thrive in both good and bad circumstances can…

these would be the ones whose parents show up at job interviews

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#238

Post by dukeofdoom »

medvezhenok wrote: post #166
dukeofdoom wrote: post #149

"About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC's Autism." When I was growing up, basically no one had it. The rates were 1 per 1,000 or lower. So one or two kids in the entire high school. Now you can expect one in your class. Many of these kids are supper naive and vulnerable, just trying to fit in. One reason why the right is skeptical of what is bein…

Sorry to burst your bubble, the rates of Autism likely haven't changed (or changed in a minor way), what has changed is the rate of diagnosis. A lot of the kids currently being diagnosed also have parents that are autistic but undiagnosed. Same thing with ADHD. The paths available in society have gotten less friendly to those with ADHD/Austism (by default), so more people are seeking diagnosis today than in the past.…

I have a friend with an autistic kid. The kid is 3 can't talk and doesn't respond to facial expressions, along with a long list of specific easily recognizable common behaviours. The idea that these common traits would have not been diagnosed by previous generation of educators is wishful thinking at best.

Key signs of autism in children include:

1. Social communication difficulties: Lack of or limited eye contact Difficulty understanding and using nonverbal communication (e.g., gestures, facial expressions) Trouble with understanding and using gestures, body language, and facial expressions Difficulty developing and maintaining age-appropriate relationships with peers Challenges with sharing interests or enjoyment with others Repetitive behaviors and restricted interests:

2. Engaging in repetitive movements (e.g., hand-flapping, rocking, spinning objects) Insistence on sameness and routines; becoming distressed by changes in routines Intense focus on specific interests or topics, often to the exclusion of others Communication difficulties:

3. Delayed speech development or difficulty in acquiring language skills Unusual patterns of speech, such as echolalia (repeating words or phrases out of context) Difficulty initiating or sustaining conversations Challenges in understanding and using language pragmatically (e.g., taking turns, using appropriate tone of voice) Sensory sensitivities:

4. Heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as noise, lights, textures, or smells Seeking or avoiding certain sensory experiences (e.g., seeking deep pressure, avoiding crowded places)

5.Unusual play and behavior:

Engaging in repetitive and imaginative play that lacks social aspects Using toys in unusual ways or showing little interest in toys altogether Engaging in self-stimulatory behaviors (stimming) to self-regulate or express emotions"

Re: Play deprivation is a major cause of the teen mental health crisis

#240

Post by [deleted] »

uoaei wrote: post #119
mrguyorama wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't allow your kids to fuck up, they will never build healthy behaviors around fucking up. It's very helpful for kids to give them safe chances to fuck up.

Witnessed this kind of thing today. Doting father of three boys on vacation. They're all ditzing around on busy sidewalks and the father barks "Control yourselves!" It occurred to me at that moment that this kind of hovering and scolding teaches children to externalize the responsibility of understanding their environment and their place within it . They will literally never learn the lessons this father wants to imp…

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