Stop and Smell the Roses
The trend of falsely portraying anxiety and depression threatens the well-being of more young people than ever before. Director: Chloe Kehn Writer: Jo Carstensen Photographer: Jacob Le Models: Alex Giltner, Simone Wilson, Madison Badgley
Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, once a faux pas topic of conversation are now the subject of Netflix originals, top hit songs, and #relatable tweets. This normalization has brought an increase in comfortable conversation, welcoming open-mindedness and tolerance that once would have been considered impossible. However, what started as a shift to acceptance is diverging into a sense of identity. As the “sad bois” newest successor the “e-boi” takes the stage, this pop-culture wave of depressed mentalities paired with slept-through therapy sessions may be doing the real harm. Since 2013, the diagnoses of major depression among high schoolaged students (12-17) have risen by a whopping 63%, closely followed by college-aged students (18-35) which have risen by 47%. A recent study by Oregon State’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences found that 32% of Oregon State students have reported experiencing major or moderate depression. The immense increase in these numbers has gotten people talking. In the past, psychological tension was seen as correlated with delinquent behaviors rather than the chemical imbalance that research has found them to be. But recently, the topic of mental illness has evolved and is being portrayed as mainstream as the flu. By weaving mental health awareness into this generation’s pop culture it’s possible that this safe space we’ve created has some positives. A big change is how these spaces have allowed more people to share their stories. Even celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Ellen DeGeneres have spoken up about their mental health struggles. Nicki Minaj in a recent interview with the Cosmopolitan shared her story about depression and her suicidal ideations. “It was just one dead end after another,” she said, “At one point, I was, like, ‘What would happen if I just didn’t wake up?’ That’s how I felt. Like, ‘Maybe I should just take my life?’” said Minaj.
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Alex Giltner
Society embracing this topic of mental illness has also allowed light to be shed on the lack of support and resources. When the diagnosis of major depression skyrocketed and started gaining public awareness, it was closely followed by an increase in support of government funding. Oregon hopped on board with the prioritization of mental health services, as communities drafted awareness proclamations, state leaders discussed policy changes to better the criminal justice system, and last October, Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order to form the Behavioral Health Advisory Council. Council members focus on improving access to effective behavioral health services by advising the governor on legislation. Another aspect of normalization has trickled down to Oregon’s public high schools. Chad Foley, a health teacher at Corvallis High School recognizes this, saying “I certainly have noticed a prevalence of mental illnesses amongst teenagers today.” He felt the school had done wellproviding students with resources, especially as they transitioned into high school. One way they’ve addressed this is by expanding class time and making health class a year-long course instead of just a semester. “In doing so, this has allowed us to dive deeper into our health units (e.g. expand the mental illness/health unit) as well as provide opportunities to bring in guest speakers,” Foley said.
