The Population Reference Bureau reported that US women's health has regressed since the 1960s, especially among millennial and Gen Z women. Despite educational and financial improvements, these younger generations endure greater physical hazards than their mothers or grandparents.
The study revealed a worrying trend in the well-being of women in their 20s and early 30s among generations born after 1981, as they have higher rates of suicide, births, and murder than prior generations, according to ABC News.
Diana Elliott, Vice President for U.S. Programs at the Population Reference Bureau, highlights the conflict of younger women reaching educational and professional milestones while facing structural health and safety restrictions. The rise of hazardous social media content, the COVID-19 pandemic, political conflicts, and inflation are affecting millennial and Gen Z women.
The study also cites state abortion bans as reproductive health access issues. Moreover, the women who belong to the millennial and Gen Z generations face higher suicide and murder rates and restricted access to vital healthcare treatments like safe abortion.
The Population Reference Bureau, a nonprofit research institution that works with the Census Bureau on gender and poverty, conducted the study with Bill & Melinda Gates and MacArthur Foundation support.
Alarmingly, Gen Z female adolescent suicide rates increased to 5 per 100,000 from 3 per 100,000 in the 1960s and 1970s, when baby boomers were teens.
The report also showed 30 maternal fatalities per 100,000 millennial women, up from 19 a decade earlier. Millennial women have 44% college degrees, compared to 28% of Generation X women, despite these challenges. Prison rates for women are declining for the first time in 50 years.
What is Doomscrolling?
Depression and anxiety may cause social retreat, and increased internet activity may imply isolation. Studies reveal that certain online activities can exacerbate mental health challenges. Passively observing others' online activities may intensify feelings of isolation, fostering a sense of missing out or inadequacy compared to others.
Doomscrolling, a recent focus in mental health research, characterizes an obsessive habit of endlessly scrolling through negative and depressing information on social media. Due to the desire for thorough but frequently upsetting information, doomscrolling increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Constant exposure to negative news through endless scrolling heightens the risk of anxiety, fear, stress, and depression. This behavior disrupts sleep patterns, depletes energy, and floods the brain with stress hormones like cortisol, contributing to mental and physical health issues.
Mindfulness Can Help Alleviate Negative Social Media Impact
Improving digital well-being starts with recognizing and managing digital habits. Screen time apps can set limits on digital platform usage, encouraging more intentional and restricted online engagement. Being mindful of bodily sensations in response to digital content helps individuals understand how specific material impacts their emotions. Moreover, being conscious of negative content's influence during endless scrolling is essential for emotional well-being.
Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, a science communicator, advised in her article in News-Medical.Net that if online habits negatively impact mental well-being, disconnecting through mindful movement is crucial. Breathing exercises, meditation, and physical activity can help break free from the grip of digital distractions, offering relief from negative thoughts and promoting mental refreshment.
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