Part 6/11:
The panelists express concern that this approach undermines the reality of mental health struggles in youth, arguing that the problem stems from decades of societal messaging—encouraging children to see themselves as inherently mentally ill or vulnerable. This overmedicalization fosters a generation that perceives normal feelings of stress or sadness as clinical disorders. The result is a troubling rise in youth claiming disability benefits for conditions linked to anxiety and depression, often lacking clear clinical diagnoses.