By Nicholas Giordano | FOX News
According to a new Gallup poll, “happiness” is plummeting in America, adding to the mounting evidence that the U.S. has a mental health crisis on its hands. It is particularly alarming that these bleak findings include children, teens and young adults – demographics that have traditionally enjoyed relatively carefree lives and positive outlooks as they face a lifetime of promises.
But the data is sobering: suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among children ages 10-14 and young adults ages 20-34. Furthermore, 55% of young adults under the age of 30 suffer from anxiety, and 47% are depressed and/or hopeless. Sadly, these statistics do not surprise me.
As a college professor, not only have I observed a significant increase in the number of students struggling with mental illness, I’ve also witnessed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) replace traditional curriculums and learning goals from kindergarten through higher education.