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Data shows that from 2005 to 2017, the number of anxiety and depression diagnoses among young adults has increased by 63 percent. This is an alarmingly leap over 12 years. But why is this happening?

The cognitive triad

Adam Beck, the father of cognitive behavior therapy, postulated that depressed individuals view themselves, the world and the future negatively. He called these three factors the cognitive triad. 

Today's technology has exposed younger people to flawless idealistic goals and career paths. This is on top of the pressure from their family to succeed. When they feel like they cannot live up to what is expected of them and what they see on social media, they tend to criticize their abilities and end up thinking negatively about themselves.

Similarly, their exposure to misinformation all over the internet has led them to have trust issues in politics, religion and society. At the same time, their exposure to uncensored media, while a good thing, has been so constant that that's all they see. And so, they tend to believe that the world is only made of corruption and negativity.

Finally, the onset of crisis after crisis - like global warming, the pandemic and economic recession, to name a few - has been threatening to the younger generation. This has made them think that they will never be able to buy their own house or pay their student loans, among other things. In short, they no longer believe in a bright future.

Overall, experts say a lot of young people nowadays think that they are worthless, that the world is cruel and that the future is bleak - symptoms seen in depressed individuals as Beck explained.