Mental health crisis ‘means youth is no longer one of happiest times of life’

You know, the fucked up thing about it all is I was always told that the kind of delayed gratification that came from major accomplishments like a college degree, a steady career, a comfortable savings account, would all outweigh the fleeting pleasure of parties and stupid little trinkets and other such fun. I wish I had taken so much more time for myself because I burned out so hard achieving some of these things and failing to achieve others that I struggle deeply to imagine a future with me in it.

I hope whatever youth is left in the world spends their time having fun. I hope their lives are worth living now, and that mine will be someday too.

When I was a teen, you at most compared yourself to your school peers, and knew that university degree could get you a foot in the door at a company somewhere.

Now? No hope of a permanent job, no hope of an affordable uni, no hope of stable housing, and frequent exposure to apps that promote richer/luckier peers to compare yourself to.

Dont blame them in the slightest for their hopelessness.

I don’t remember the word “happy” being relevant when I was teen - late 80s to early 90s - or expecting that hormone driven period to even be that interesting. I understand that my generation had more opportunities to “prosper” but I had to leave my house at 18 yo no question so I also had no choice but to get to it.