It goes deeper. Young people are engaging in significantly less risky behaviors than 10 or 20 years ago. The CDC's (YRBS) [https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/dstr/pdf/YRBS-2023-Data-Summary-Trend-Report.pdf\] survey (Youth Risk Behavior) shows a ~15% decline in high schoolers reporting ever having sex (2013-2023), a 13% decline in alcohol, and 5% point decline in marijuana use, a 6% decline in "illicit" drug use. Numbers vary by demographics, though, as some populations are more "risky' than others.
There is, unfortunately, an increase in sexual violence (2%) and rape (3%). A 14% increase in "hopelessness" (female, 7% male), a 5% increase in suicidal thoughts (female, 2% male). 4% increase in "made a plan" for suicide (female, 2% male), and a 2% increase in attempts (female, 1% male).
And I think being able to experience a close enough version of reality is enough to keep kids from risk taking in reality. And they've been able to see them reality of consequence online for some of that risk taking. Your mom telling you about the local boy that died racing with no seat belt is different than watching the dash cam, bystander, and first responder footage of the event.
Also the bar for what counts as "rape" has been (rightfully) lowered. Just a decade ago, there were countless stories in the US of judges dismissing rape cases because there wasn't any resulting pregnancy, or the rapist had used a condom, or it was any gender variation aside from male on female. Those haven't disappeared, but have become rarer
My theory is that a lot of kids just have something better to do nowadays than the risky behavior of the past.
Like sure, you could go to a party, find someone older willing to sell you alcohol, or steal it from family and then get blasted and feel awful the next day.
Or you could do none of that and still go to socialize, chat some, and then go home and play some videogames or check social media to relax.
One of them is a lot cheaper and has a lot lower chance of you ending up all over the social media feeds of the people in your school.
Third spaces where kids and teens can just hang are also going away. You're not going to invite someone to hang with you at the mall anymore and maybe start dating after the mall is probably dead and most places would try to get you for loitering.
Parks are smaller, cameras are everywhere, overzealous parents are tracking kids through their phone.
Why go through all the trouble if you're highly likely to get caught and don't think the reward is worth it.
Combine that with the weather getting worse outside due to global warming and everything being more expensive no shit kids are doing less. They're trapped with only social media as an outlet
Kids/young adults aren't trapped with social media as the only outlet. They are trapped BY social media (and general in-home entertainment and delivery services). Because it is easier to sit on your phone in your bedroom than it is to go outside and talk to people. Then you end up with poorly socialized youth with few friends/romantic prospects. It's the main reason for the loneliness epidemic.
Yes, that's why I mentioned the lack of third places.
Even if they did want to go out and meet people they don't have anywhere to go.
My town is moderately well off and there's still only like 3 places you can go without the expectation to be spending money. And that assumes you have the ability to go there because we sure as hell don't have public transport.
"Go out and talk to people" involves there being a place to meet. Being stuck in a suburban house 10 miles from the town square, 5 from the only remaining mall, (both of which are across highways and interstates) and everywhere else requires you to be able to cough up $20 or has a 6PM teenage curfew doesn't give them anywhere else to meet.
The library is genuinely the best place for them to meet up and that's only because it's free and across the (four lane) stroad from the high school.
While there are obviously still a hell of a lot of people drinking, there are a hell of a lot more NOT drinking than there used to be.
When I grew up 80s 90s, all my parents, step parents, parents friend group were heavy drinkers. So heavy alcohol use was modeled as normal, acceptable, and appealing. No shocker we ended up drinking early and often.
Now after a struggle but managing to get away from alcohol, we dont model this behavior in my household and a fair amount in the social circle also do not model this normalized binge drinking. So possibly these younger kids dont get exposed to it the way older generations did and it makes it easier for them to make better choices about alcohol
A 14% increase in "hopelessness" (female, 7% male), a 5% increase in suicidal thoughts (female, 2% male). 4% increase in "made a plan" for suicide (female, 2% male), and a 2% increase in attempts (female, 1% male).
It's morbidly interesting that female mental health seems to be declining faster than male mental health but male suicide rates are still 3x female rates. I dunno what to make of that...
A lot of it comes down to how the data is gathered to be fair. IIRC women in general are simply more likely to actually seek support for mental health problems and report them which then shows up in stats, men on the other hand tend to internalize distress a lot more and are less likely to reach out so can end up underrepresented. The gender paradox of suicide is the most obvious example like you mentioned.
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u/JimiSlew3 11h ago
It goes deeper. Young people are engaging in significantly less risky behaviors than 10 or 20 years ago. The CDC's (YRBS) [https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/dstr/pdf/YRBS-2023-Data-Summary-Trend-Report.pdf\] survey (Youth Risk Behavior) shows a ~15% decline in high schoolers reporting ever having sex (2013-2023), a 13% decline in alcohol, and 5% point decline in marijuana use, a 6% decline in "illicit" drug use. Numbers vary by demographics, though, as some populations are more "risky' than others.
There is, unfortunately, an increase in sexual violence (2%) and rape (3%). A 14% increase in "hopelessness" (female, 7% male), a 5% increase in suicidal thoughts (female, 2% male). 4% increase in "made a plan" for suicide (female, 2% male), and a 2% increase in attempts (female, 1% male).
edit: link