The Crisis | AFF Missions SCIO

Spirituality

The Solution

Solution

The Negligence

At the Economic Impact’s “Future of Health Europe 2023” summit, policy makers recommended preventive action as the necessary response. Unfortunately, the existence of programs offering clear-cut preventive action that directly confront the underlying causes of common mental health disorders in the region is negligible. Now, the government is already overburdened with providing reactive action in the form of therapy programs, so it is unfair to hold it responsible for this negligence. Annually, the UK government commit a multimillion pound budget towards therapy programs for common mental health disorders. Secondly, the failure of policy makers and lobbyists to offer direct non-politically and non-ideologically tribalized and controlled methodology towards the alleviation of these underlying causes is why there are no clear cut preventive action. Furthermore, therapy programs unlike preventive action programs, are more viable to be commodified into lucrative ventures since they offer many ambitious business avenues because of their compatibility with programs of the free market economy.

Repressive Otherization

The us against them ethos is at the core of the zeitgeist of our society, and it is the force behind the Repressive otherization we see today. Repressive otherization is the violation of the “other” through processes such as affective polarization, social fragmentation, social hostility, social inequalities, marginalisation, xenophobia, harmful stereotyping, social hierarchization, and victimization of both peer and vulnerable groups. These processes of repressive otherization are expressed through violations such as, bullying, discrimination, hate speech, bigotry, anger and violent extremism, and these behaviours trigger common mental health disorders. As Frazer et al (2022) record, these processes have direct link to the deterioration of the mental and social wellbeing of people; they trigger common mental health disorders.

Victimization

Victimization is the process of being harmed, injured, or exploited by another person or group. It's a form of aggression that often involves a power imbalance between the victim and the aggressor. This harm can unfold as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse/exploitation, neglect, hate crimes, human trafficking and institutional abuse. Victimization of vulnerable groups is a pattern of harm that disproportionately affects people who already face significant challenges or disadvantages. Peer victimization is the experience of being a target of aggressive or harmful behaviour from other individuals of a similar age or social group (peers). Victimization has significant and detrimental effects on mental health with victims at an increased risk of developing conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lowered self-esteem and confidence, suicidality and self-harm, social isolation, sleep disturbances and physical health issues.

Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction is a behavioural addiction characterized by an overwhelming and uncontrollable urge to use social media. This excessive use continues despite negative consequences in the user's personal life, work, or well-being. It's not just about spending a lot of time online. It becomes an addiction when it dominates your thoughts, becomes a compulsion, impairs daily life, and causes withdrawal. The consequences of this addiction can be significant and impact nearly every aspect of a person's life. Anxiety and Depression: This can be fuelled by constant comparison, the pressure to maintain a "perfect" online persona, and the fear of missing out (FOMO). Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): a constant stream of others' curated highlights—vacations, achievements, and social events. This can trigger intense anxiety that you are being left out or that your own life is inadequate in comparison. Low Self-Esteem and Poor Body Image: constant exposure to filtered, edited, and unrealistic portrayals of life and beauty. This can lead to chronic social comparison, dissatisfaction with one's own life, and severe body image issues, which may contribute to eating disorders. Loneliness and Isolation: Replacing deep, in-person interactions with superficial online "connections" can leave individuals feeling socially isolated and disconnected from the real world.

Pursuit of Extrinsic Goals for Social Validation

The social pattern of validating and approving extrinsic goals as the pinnacle of flourishment and excellence in contemporary society has become the prevalent cause of common mental disorders. People especially the younger generation are being pressured to avariciously pursue financial success, luxurious lifestyles, material wealth, enhancement of physical appearance to meet beauty standards, and the accumulation of awards and accolades for fame and prestige. Extrinsic goals when prioritised in this manner, always trigger poor mental health in people (Halvorson, 2010). When the pressures to keep up is overwhelming and the failure to win the desperately needed societal approval and validation is inevitable, people fall into depression, anxiety, panic disorders, body dysmorphia, eating disorders and substance use disorders.

Financial Constraints

Financial constraints are linked to lower self-esteem, guilt, and an increased risk of serious mental health issues like suicidal thoughts, social isolation, and unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse. It significantly harms mental health leading to anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Nearly half of UK workers (49%) are living paycheque to paycheque, according to a recent report. This situation means that a person's income is just enough to cover their monthly expenses, leaving little or no money for savings or emergencies. It is a cycle that can lead to financial stress and makes it difficult to handle unexpected costs, such as medical bills or car repairs. This indicates that almost half of the working population of UK are just a paycheque away from falling into major financial constraints. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data shows that around 17% of people in the UK were in relative low income (relative poverty) before housing costs in 2023/24. This rises to 21% once housing costs are accounted for. It further shows that 15% of people in the UK were in absolute low income before housing costs in 2023/24, and 18% were in absolute low income (absolute poverty) after housing costs.

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