Mental+Health+and+Generation+Y;+Consumerism+and+Image+to+blame?

Name: Rachel Itzstein Student No.: 8327513 Tutor: Michelle Newcomb


 * Mental Health of Generation Y: Consumerism and Image to blame? **

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RVcWe5lRRg (segments from 1:20 to 3:45 and from 6:30 to 7:45) These short segments are from the popular UK TV series, “Skins”, which presents many controversial issues faced by Gen Y teenagers in high school in the form of an entertaining drama. These particular clips focus on one of the characters’ struggle with an eating disorder. The character, Cassie, begins to hallucinate that she is receiving messages instructing her to eat, and spends much of her time hiding her disorder and pretending that it isn’t a problem.
 * Artefact **

Mental health affects just over a quarter of young Australians aged 16 to 24 years; about 671,000 in this demographic are affected by a mental disorder (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007). The World Health Organisation has defined mental health as a state of being in which a person can cope with normal, everyday stresses and are empowered to achieve their potential, stating that mental health isn’t just the absence of a mental disorder (World Health Organisation, 2007). This definition includes many issues, such as eating disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, alcohol and drug use disorders, child and adolescent mental health problems and intellectual impairments. A possible explanation for the alarming prevalence of mental disorders in Gen Y Australians may be consumerism, or more specifically, the unhealthy instant gratification it provides us (Carlisle & Hanlon, 2007). Shaw and Aldridge (2003) define consumerism as “an excessive, even pathological preoccupation with consumption”.
 * Public Health Issue **

Whatever label we go by, our generation carries some serious marketing influence, nearly double that of our Gen X parents (Kenway &Bullen, 2001). We have had spending power from an early age, as well as input into purchase decisions (Kenway &Bullen, 2001), which has rendered us aware of branding and mindful of authenticity (Wilson, 2007); we know our converse from our K-mart. Our internet-borne culture is less homogeneous than that of our television-generation parents, given our ability to access information (Kenway &Bullen, 2001). For instance, a 2001 research paper attributes a greater diversity for the perception of “cool” to our generation as compared to previous generation (Ferguson, 2011). However, our learned focus on consumerism may negatively impact on our mental health (Carlisle & Hanlon, 2007). Carlisle and Hanlon (2007) describe consumerism as designed to alleviate our innate desire for happiness. They also claim that we are not any happier presently, and that those who establish meaning in their lives are generally happier than those who seek temporary indulgence, a characteristic of Gen Y evident from the mass media. Our consumption patterns are self-indulgent and impulse-driven (Carlisle & Hanlon, 2007), which has a negative effect on our mental health (Aneshensel, 2010). Carlisle and Hanlon (2007) additionally state that health and wellbeing are social constructs that are usually “in line with the demands of a capitalist economic system”, and that this image is steadily being applied to public health systems. Consumerism comes into play because we are emotionally conditioned and genetically programmed to seek happiness, an element that consumerism is designed to temporarily alleviate. Through self-indulgent, instant gratification, we become accustomed to getting our way, which diminishes our experience of having to work hard for a goal in order to achieve it, according to Aneshensel (2010). He has also suggested that endeavouring for a goal brings more satisfaction than instantly receiving it, and has more of a long-term positive effect on mental health, as the individual assigns a sense of capability to themselves. So is this the reaseon that so many Gen Y Australians are affected by mental disorders? The Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Mental Health indicated that the age bracket of 16 to 24 years was the highest percentage affected by a mental disorder out of any in this survey. The prevalence of this demographic was also found to be well above the mean rate of twenty per cent. So what is it about the Millennium Generation that is so different, and why is this problem occurring? A study by Macky, Gardner & Forsyth (2008) has been an excellent indicator of social changes in Generation Y as compared to previous generations. The study was based on the theory that our generation differs in terms of work ethic, self-esteem and other personality traits. The findings suggest that Millennials generally have higher rates of depression and anxiety, and an external locus of control (Macky, Gardner & Forsyth, 2008), meaning that we feel that much of our lives are outside of our personal control. An external locus of control correlates with higher rates of depression, and an increased likelihood that the individual will be “chronically miserable” and lead a less successful life (Meyerhoff, 2005). Interestingly, the same study concluded that there was little difference in work motivators, or in attitudes toward work and leadership (Macky, Gardner & Forsyth, 2008). Another important aspect of Gen Y is that our need for social approval has decreased, according to ongoing research (Twenge & Im, 2006). This particular study focuses on the changes in personality traits within different birth cohorts, most specifically and the trait of need for social approval. The research indicated that social approval was less sought by children born after 1980, which is the demographic of Gen Y. This translates to a lessened desire to be polite, socially acceptable and in sync with cultural norms (Twenge and Im, 2006); our characteristic “I don’t care what anyone thinks” attitude. A correlation was also drawn between reduced need for social approval and increased extroversion, heightened self-esteem and increased anxiety. The 2007 Australian Bureau of Statistics Mental Health survey reported that fifteen per cent of young Australians suffer from Anxiety Disorder. However, the method by which this data was collected, namely the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale, carried flaws that meant it was not an accurate personality reflection, but merely a reflection of whether an individual provides socially accepted responses to seek social approval. There is also the issue that the data, due to its nature, is also somewhat qualitative rather than quantitative. Shaw and Aldridge (2003) discuss how health is being commercialised, and turned into a product for Generation Y consumers. Examples they provide include the fitness industry, clothing, food, cosmetics and, most specifically, the weight-loss industry. They point out the negatives of this, such as the unhealthy obsession with the perfect body, which is both mentally and physically damaging to pursue.
 * Literature Review **

Research portraying a social trend towards consumerism among Millennials is mirrored by mass media, though the media chooses to impose a negative spin on the results of this trend. Marketing Magazine asserts that Millennials have a “stronger sense of entitlement” than previous generations (Lloyd & Harris, 2007) and have little concept of hard work, due to our consumerist culture. The authors of the article blame a portrayed expectation in the Gen Y workforce for instant gratification, synonymous with Aneshensel’s (2010) assertion that achieving a goal through working for it has more long-term positive effect on mental health. This is not the sole example of the media’s belief in Gen Y’s unrealistic expectation. A 2010 Daily mail article calls Millennials “disloyal”, “self-centred” and “unrealistic” based on over-confidence and elevated self-esteem (Clark, 2010). The increased presence of these last two traits are evident in research (Campbell & Twenge, 2001) (Twenge and Im, 2006), not just in mass media. Consumerism also focuses on image (Shaw & Aldridge, 2003), not just gratification. One theorist whose work supports the idea that we are obsessed with image is Jean Baudrillard (Kellner, 2007). His theories on the meaning that are invested by societies and individuals in everyday objects are particularly useful in understanding Shaw and Aldridge’s (2003) article on commercialising the health industry, and particularly the image of the perfect body. His first two books, “The System of Objects” (1968) and “The Consumer Society” (1970), claim that our society’s view is narrowing, and that image is becoming increasingly more imperative to our culture. He asserts that we apportion prestige to the image that we subscribe to. Consumerism is what encourages us to subscribe to subscribe to an image, and the unhealthy fixation aimed at appeasing it may be damaging to our mental wellbeing (Carlisle & Hanlon, 2007). Eating disorders are an excellent example of how harmful an image-obsessed culture can be on the mental health of the individual. Michel Foucault was an eighteenth-century social theorist who wrote extensively about mental health and its place in society (Gutting, 2008). Whilst primarily interested in the poor treatment of mental patients of his era, his writings assert that social and cultural factors are involved in mental health. Mental health cannot be categorised so simply as an occurrence that is purely genetic.
 * Social and Cultural Analysis **

The video segments of “Skins” are an excellent summary of the role that image, and therefore consumerism, plays in mental health. Cassie is suffering from an adherence to an ideal image, which is leading her to damage herself physically. She is clearly mentally unwell, hallucinating the messages to eat, and derives a sense of control from self-restriction. It is also an excellent commentary on the struggle that sufferers face simply to overcome the disorder. Cassie finds little support in the therapy sessions she is provided with, a fact that is comically overemphasised in the clip. Her continued denial is also a reflection of her mental health status. In summary, the clip provides an example from popular culture displaying a link between sociocultural images and values and mental health. Many other examples are evident in popular culture, media and individual opinions. (The examples included below are for interests’ sake.) From Jerry Bruckheimer’s comedy “Confessions of a Shopaholic”, we gain a portrayal of Generation Y’s brand obsession and consumerist fixation. A line in the movie sums it up perfectly: “When things are bad, I shop, and things are better. Then things are worse and I shop again.” As a result of this assessment piece, my awareness of the various effects of a consumerist mentality, most importantly on mental health, has broadened. The writings of Baudrillard and Foucault are particularly useful in understanding the effects of the sociocultural environment on mentality and mental health, respectively. The result of the assignment was to nurture an opinion that mental health is negatively affected by consumerism, and that some mental health problems have some of their roots in aspects of our culture. It also sharpened my awareness of the potential pitfalls of instantly obtaining everything you want.
 * Analysis of the Artefact and Reflection **



//- Sherry, Victoria, BC, Canada., 12/// ||
 * //There is a whole generation of people who were raised to believe they are the most unique, fabulous, talented, and beautiful people on the planet. They never quite got out of the "Mommy says I'm special" phase, and stepped into reality. I have four teens myself, and it is a daily struggle to remind them that not everything comes easy in life, there are usually more downs than ups, and the harder you work the more you earn. The entitlement mentality will come back to haunt at some point in the future.//

//- Gary M., Los Angeles, USA, 13/3/2010// ||
 * //Being a person who learned the hard way how to do my job, I'm often sensitive to younger people getting a good starter in their careers. In as much as I try to convince them that: positive energy, hard work, and learning from mistakes are the 3 main attributes to a good career, I fail to make an impression. They drag themselves to work, have a long list of things to do after work, their weekends are tied up, have poor software skills, and most importantly don't take feedback very well. They except a high introductory salary, full benefits, career growth, and yet they lack the willingness to learn the business from the ground up. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they grew up in an economic boom era and many of them will have a hard realization in the next few years as recession is depleting the workforce while raising individual expectations.//

Aneshensel, C. (2010). Research in Mental Health: Social Etiology versus Social Consequences. In J. McLeod & E. Wright (Eds.), //The Sociology of Mental Illness// (pp. 161-169). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
 * References **

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). //Mental Health of Young People, 2007.// Retrieved from []

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). //National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.// Retrieved from []

Carlisle, S. & Hanlon, P. (2007). The complex territory of well-being: contestable evidence, contentious theories and speculative conclusions. //Journal of Public Mental Health, 6//(2) 8-13. Retrieved from []

Clark, L. (2010, March 11). Hard work? No thanks! Meet 'entitled to it all' Generation Y. //The Daily Mail.// Retrieved from []

Donohue, J. (2006). Regulation and policy in mental health. //Health affairs(0278-2715)//, //25//(3), 706. doi: 10.1377/hltha£f.25.3.706

Ferguson, S. (2011). A global culture of cool? Generation Y and their perception of coolness. //Young consumers// //(1758-7212)//, //12// (3), 265. doi: 10.1108/17473611111163313

Gutting, G. (2008). Michael Foucault. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, (4th ed.). Retrieved from []

Kellner, D. (2007). Jean Baudrillard. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, (4th ed.). Retrieved from []

Kenway, J. & Bullen, E. (2001). Inventing the Young Consumer. In J. Kenway & E. Bullen (Eds.), //Consuming Children// (pp. 35-62). Buckingham, PA: Open University Press.

Lloyd, J. & Harris, R. (2007, October 15). The Truth about Gen Y. //Marketing magazine//(1196-4650), 112 (19), 13, 16-20. Retrieved from [|http://www.marketingmag.ca]

Macky, K., Gardner, D. & Forsyth, S. (2008). Generational differences at work: introduction and overview. //Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23//(8), 857-861. doi: 10.1108/02683940810904358

Meyerhoff, M. (2005). Locus of Control. //Pediatrics for Parents, 21//(10), 8-9. Retrieved from []

Twenge, J. & Campbell, K. (2001). Age and Birth Cohort Differences in Self-Esteem: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis. //Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 5//(4), 321-344 doi: 10.1207/S15327957PSPR0504_3

Twenge, J. & Campbell, S. (2008). Generational differences in psychological traits and their impact on the workplace. //Journal of Managerial Psychology//, //23//(8), 862-877. doi: 10.1108/02683940810904367

Twenge, J. & Im, C. (2007). Changes in the need for social approval, 1958-2001. //Journal of Research in Personality, 41//(1), 171-189. doi: 10.1016/j.jrp.2006.03.006

White, R. & Wyn, J. (2008). //Youth & Society: Exploring the Social Dynamics of Youth Experience// (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Wilson, M. (2007, March). Defining Gen Y. //Chain Store Age, 83//(3), 35-40. Retrieved from []

World Health Organisation. (2007). What is mental health. Retrieved from []

Response to essay by n8315302, Lizzie Henderson
 * Sound Challenge to Mental Health Misconceptions**

This essay challenges the reader to re-evaluate their stance, personal prejudices and outward actions towards this important topic, providing an insight into just how much our culture ignores. The thought-provoking clip provided is excellent for demonstrating both how widespread mental illness is, and encourages the listener to identify and challenge any personal misconceptions or prejudices. It serves to shed a different light on mental illness, and to remind us of the importance of acknowledging and treating it. The literature review provided much information that I was previously unaware of, for instance how many Australians are affected by mental disorders and the important government steps that have been taken not only to assist and treat sufferers, but also to ensure that they do not feel isolated during their treatment. One strategy I especially agree with is the introduction of community-based mental health services. Such a program assists sufferers not only in that it provides local and accessible treatment, but it also does not place the patient in a specialised psychiatric hospital, which they may find more difficult to accept. The stigma attached to such illnesses, as portrayed in the clip, may promote those affected to feel ashamed of their illness if isolated during their treatment, rather than accepting it and facing it. Foucault’s theories are especially useful for understanding how we construct stereotypes through generalising about a ‘type’ of person. These theories may be of equal value when trying to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. By challenging culture, the beliefs of the individual may slowly be altered, and culture will steadily become more accepting and open about the existence and treatment of such disorders. Durkheim’s and Beck’s ideas about the effects of rapid social change on the mental health of individuals are equally important, and may be useful for assisting in programs aimed at decreasing risk factors in communities. Buffering systems such as family are important to maintain. One suggestion may be to centre on mental health in youth. Mental health affects just over a quarter of young Australians aged 16 to 24 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007), a significant and alarming portion. This generation will take over the workforce soon, replacing the previous generations, which is alarming considering that a quarter of them will suffer at some point poor mental health, something which has already cost the Australian economy twenty billion dollars (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). The author has clearly made an excellent case for the radical change that desperately needs to occur in Australian society: to alter the downhill progression of mental health statistics in Australia, which is damaging to individuals and society, our mindset must change. Mental health is real, important and must be taken seriously.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4326.0 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Australian social trends, March 2009: Mental health. Retrieved from: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features30March%202009
 * References**

Response to n8091838, Kamila Radomska
 * Support is Important**

The piece strongly advocates supporting the mentally ill by letting them know that we are behind them. The author rightly maintains that public support, adequate services, early intervention and reducing prejudice surrounding the issue is the way forward for treating mental disorders, and the evidence for the risk factors suggested is supportive. These factors are important for identifying particular groups that are at risk, such as elderly males, those not in an intimate relationship, migrants and adolescents. It is also clear that resources need to be fairly spread in terms of mental health prevention and treatment; indigenous communities and asylum seekers require just as much support in Australia. The essay also identifies ‘learned helplessness’ as a risk factor for mental health. Perhaps an excellent strategy to combat this may be a culture change directed at shifting the loci of control of individuals towards the internal. Such a change would require salutogenic campaigning for preventing mental health and assisting sufferers (Hazelwood & Shakespeare-Finch, 2011). One point of improvement may be to include the possible strategies named by the cited sources for reducing these risk factors within the population: how might these situations be eased or corrected? However, the essay was informative about the various risk factors associated with mental health, and provided sound evidence for them. I was also convinced of the importance of providing support for sufferers, not merely financial, medical and providing them with treatment and services, but on a personal level. “You are not alone” is the most important message we can give them.

Hazelwood, Z. & Shakespeare-Finch, J. (2011). //I’m listening: Communication for health care professionals.// Aspley, QLD: Inn Press.
 * References**