Summary
A UN-commissioned study finds that youth happiness has declined sharply over the past decade in English-speaking countries.
Traditionally, happiness followed a U-shape, with youth being a peak period, but it now increases with age instead.
Researchers link this shift to social media, cyberbullying, and reduced social interaction.
The mental health crisis may have significant consequences that affect education, workforce participation, and productivity. The UN is investigating whether this trend is a global phenomenon.
Not sure what to say exactly other than that I hope you are doing better now and also to recommend you employ basic harm reduction techniques, feel free to reach out if you have any questions about that. Best wishes.
Oh thank you for your offer and general empathy towards me, who is but a stranger in a strange land, but you needn’t worry about me.
In fact, it has been over a year since I’ve last talked with this narcissist, though she did reach out to me sometime last year - again despite what I had asked and what we had agreed upon previously, so nothing new there - and, after some careful consideration, I did reply to her. I don’t think I’ve berated anyone in my life before quite like that. I channeled every bit of rage and resentment I had towards her and the constant disappointments she had caused to me and everyone else around her, basically hoping she would die or at the least move far away so no-one of my friends would be available for her to abuse, after which I blocked her again.
Also soon after 2024 started I started seeing this lovely autistic girl, who I have come to love dearly and who loves me back. And she loves me the same way I love her, so it is easier for me to trust this love, which is a completely new experience for me. We are in a steady and I dare say committed relationship.
And if it’s the drugs you are worried about, well… I’ve been addicted before, some years ago, to abusing alcohol and benzodiazepines specifically. Nowadays I rarely drink anymore, at least in the same way as before, and benzos I’ve dropped completely. I do occasionally dabble in some illicit narcotics, but I don’t think of or see it as a problem. Mainly because I’ve seen and know what it looks like to have a substance abuse problem, and I strive to not let it go there.
In any case, thank you again for your offer (:
Good, it sounds like you are making healthier choices which is always good, not just by preventing potential harm from drug mixing but also by setting and maintaining boundaries and choosing to associate with folks whose values are more in line with yours and who appreciate you genuinely. I would encourage you to continue making choices that support your wellbeing and sustainability of practices, hopefully you don’t mind me saying so.
Thank you, you are a beautiful person by what I can tell. And yes, these are skills that I have had to learn the hard way, and I have worked hard to learn them. I am also working part-time as a bartender nowadays, which is something I thought to be completely impossible for me - in addition to having a stable relationship and cutting off toxic people and relationships - not more than 5 years ago. So things are and have been looking up for a while now. And no I don’t mind you saying at all, and in fact if you ever have anything that you think I might be able to help you with, please don’t hesitate reaching out.
Thank you so much. Same to you, I’m here for support or whatever helpful resources I am able to offer.
I relate to this a lot BTW. I am currently digging myself out of the hole I was born in and proceeded to dig even deeper for many years, and the progress I’m making is finally more measurable, visible, and helpful to others, in a way that feels very validating and confirms to me that while I may make mistakes and even cause harm at times, I am on the right path and I am doing what I’ve always wanted to by being there for others (and myself) and minimizing harm while maximizing benefit in my interactions with anyone and also with anything else that I exert influence on in any way, such as systems or processes that affect others or communities, IRL or digital (like this one). I am doing things that felt truly impossible or even incomprehensible in the past, including living to my current age. Keep up the self improvement work, it’s working!! Your hard work is paying off and I appreciate you.