CHANGE. MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE DEALS WITH, BUT SOMETHING THAT NOT EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT. WE WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A CLEAR DIVIDE BETWEEN GENERATIONS OR IF IT’S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED TO EMBRACE. SOMETIMES THINGS ARE JUST TOO MUCH AND YOU JUST CAN’T HANDLE EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE. WE CALL IT EXCUSES. THEY MIGHT CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE TO DIFFERENT AGES AND TO VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS ON MENTAL HEALTH. YEAH, NOBODY EVER TALKED ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF GROWING UP AROUND WHERE I GREW UP AT, YOU KNOW, HERE IN PITTSBURGH. YOU KNOW, BUT NOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER GENERATION. I’VE BEEN DEALING WITH THAT SINCE I WAS BORN. I THINK IT’S GOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT MORE BECAUSE SOMETHING EVERYBODY DEALS WITH, BUT SOMETHING THAT’S KIND OF HARD AND LIKE TRICKY FOR EVERYBODY. WE AT THE STREETS TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT A TOPIC THAT, AS YOU JUST HEARD, CAN BE HARD AND TRICKY. FOR THE MOST PART, WE FOUND PEOPLE WERE REALLY RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF MENTAL HEALTH. WELL, I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH. WHEN YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING, IT’S LIKE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME PURPOSE. I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT’S NOT SO MUCH A GENERATIONAL THING AS MUCH AS THERE’S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD BETWEEN FIGHTING TWO WARS ON TWO DIFFERENT CONTINENTS AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER CRAZY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. IT’S IMPORTANT. BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES LANGVILLE LEO BELIEVES GENERATION Z IS TO THANK FOR THAT CHANGE. I LOVE THAT GEN Z IS LIKE BRINGING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER CONSIDERS ANYONE BORN AFTER 1996 AS GEN Z. WELL, I THINK THAT THEY HAVE HELPED TO DESTIGMATIZE IT A LOT. I THINK THINGS LIKE TIC TAC HAVE BOTH HELPED AND HURT, BUT JUST LIKE BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND THEN LIKE ENCOURAGE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT IT AND ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO AND GET THERAPY IF THEY HAVEN’T BEFORE. NOW, THERAPY IS ANOTHER MAJOR FACTOR IN THIS STORY. A RECENT STUDY FROM THE APA SAYS THAT A THIRD OF GEN ZERS SAY THEY’VE RECEIVED THERAPY FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. IF THAT’S SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, WE HAVE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT WTAE DOT COM. REPORTING FROM DOWNTOWN
Where do people stand on talking about their mental health?
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Updated: 7:40 PM EST Feb 7, 2023
The topic of mental health can be a tricky one for many people. For years, there has been a stigma around the idea of mental health, with many people hesitant to approach the subject. "There has definitely been a shift," said Layne Filio, a behavioral therapist at UPMC Western Behavioral Health Center for Children and Families. "When I was growing up, it wasn't cool to go to therapy. Now, it's very cool." Filio believes that Generation Z also known as Gen Z is aiding in the change surrounding the stigma of mental health and the accessibility of mental health resources. "I love that Gen Z is bringing into the attention," Filio said. "I think things like TikTok have both helped and hurt, but being able to talk about it with your friends and encouraging your family members to talk about it and encouraging your family to go get therapy if they haven't has helped." A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that members of Gen Z are significantly more likely than other generations, to report their mental health as fair or poor. Researchers also found that Gen Z is 37% more likely to report receiving mental health treatment or therapy when compared to other generations. "I think people deal with it a lot more," said Emilee Rose, a woman in her 20s living and working in Pittsburgh. "It's easier to talk about nowadays than it used to be and people are more comfortable talking about it."Today’s top headlines: Judge rules Pa. state school funding system unconstitutional 1 police officer dead, another injured after shooting in McKeesport Residents worry about going home, toxic gas from derailment in East Palestine, OhioAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2019, just over 19% of U.S. adults reported receiving any mental health treatment that year. The CDC found that the percentage of adults who had taken medication for their mental health increased with age, while the percentage that had received counseling or therapy actually decreased with age.Maggie Holl is a member of Generation Z, currently living in Pittsburgh while going to college. She believes that her generation's willingness to talk about their mental health struggles and the resources they seek for help can be beneficial to older generations. "Some of them are a little bit tricky about it. They think 'Oh, I'll just tough it out' like they don't think it's as important," Holl said. "But I think when they see things like therapy that really benefit the younger generation, they can't really deny that it's helping."For Scott Spencer mental health and access to care is imperative. He's glad to see more people talking about it. "I think more people are talking about mental health," Spencer said. "I think also, it's not so much a generational thing, but there is so much going on in the world between fighting two wars and all kinds of other crazy things, it's important."
The topic of mental health can be a tricky one for many people. For years, there has been a stigma around the idea of mental health, with many people hesitant to approach the subject.
"There has definitely been a shift," said Layne Filio, a behavioral therapist at UPMC Western Behavioral Health Center for Children and Families. "When I was growing up, it wasn't cool to go to therapy. Now, it's very cool."
Filio believes that Generation Z also known as Gen Z is aiding in the change surrounding the stigma of mental health and the accessibility of mental health resources.
"I love that Gen Z is bringing into the [other generations'] attention," Filio said. "I think things like TikTok have both helped and hurt, but being able to talk about it with your friends and encouraging your family members to talk about it and encouraging your family to go get therapy if they haven't has helped."
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that members of Gen Z are significantly more likely than other generations, to report their mental health as fair or poor. Researchers also found that Gen Z is 37% more likely to report receiving mental health treatment or therapy when compared to other generations.
"I think people deal with it a lot more," said Emilee Rose, a woman in her 20s living and working in Pittsburgh. "It's easier to talk about nowadays than it used to be and people are more comfortable talking about it."
Today’s top headlines:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2019, just over 19% of U.S. adults reported receiving any mental health treatment that year. The CDC found that the percentage of adults who had taken medication for their mental health increased with age, while the percentage that had received counseling or therapy actually decreased with age.
Maggie Holl is a member of Generation Z, currently living in Pittsburgh while going to college. She believes that her generation's willingness to talk about their mental health struggles and the resources they seek for help can be beneficial to older generations.
"Some of them are a little bit tricky about it. They think 'Oh, I'll just tough it out' like they don't think it's as important," Holl said. "But I think when they see things like therapy that really benefit the younger generation, they can't really deny that it's helping."
For Scott Spencer mental health and access to care is imperative. He's glad to see more people talking about it.
"I think more people are talking about mental health," Spencer said. "I think also, it's not so much a generational thing, but there is so much going on in the world between fighting two wars and all kinds of other crazy things, it's important."
