Research

Empowering Youth Mental Wellness At The Intersection of Health, Wealth and Purpose

Emilie Mauricio

23 Dec 2024

•

5 min read

White Paper
By Jeffrey A. Johnston, CEO & Founder, Brightn, Inc.

Executive Summary

Generation Z is arguably the most anxious, depressed, and financially uninformed generation in history[^1][^2] despite having widespread availability of supportive emotional and medical care—and a world of knowledge literally at their fingertips. Continuing on the same path without obvious improvements in outcomes seems unlikely to help them thrive. This paper recommends a structured approach to optimizing health, wealth, and purpose that can elevate youth mental wellness.

The Youth Mental Health Landscape

North American youth today are struggling, even though they live amid more abundance and human flourishing than at any time in human history. Today’s culture seems to be slowly infected with a faceless and toxic force wreaking havoc on mental wellness, often referred to as “mental health.”

Because youth are our future, this white paper focuses on the next generation. When you look at their current status—particularly among Gen Z—and the approaches to mental health care that have been dominant for the last couple of decades, it’s evident the system isn’t working. If our current methods aren’t yielding improved outcomes, it’s time to consider alternatives.

To that end, this paper examines the value of a threefold approach—health, wealth, and purpose—to improve youth mental wellness. It also presents a groundbreaking, straightforward tool currently on the market, designed for today’s generation struggling with mental wellness. This is not a “cure-all” but a self-directed, self-empowering tool that fits with Generation Z’s habits and interests, leveraging the device they carry with them everywhere and consult hundreds of times per day: their smartphone.

While this paper cannot comprehensively address the wide range of mental wellness challenges and episodic situations young adults face, it does highlight relevant research that supports the efficacy of the intersection of health, wealth, and purpose in improving youth mental well-being.

The Current State of Youth Mental Wellness

Finding solutions for youth mental wellness requires a clear understanding of the challenges. Let’s step back and look at the big picture, discussing Gen Z’s overall state, the mental illness and addiction epidemic they face, and the methods we’ve used thus far to help them.

Who Is Gen Z?
Generation Z (ages 14–26 in 2024) makes up one-third of the world’s population. They are:

Students: Today’s mental health crisis is causing many of them to consider dropping out—35% in the last six months alone.
Entering the Workforce: 77% of Gen Z say they would leave an employer if mental health isn’t supported.
Facing Major Life Decisions: First romantic relationships, career choices, parenthood, and experimentation with substances all typically occur within this window.

Mental Unwellness at Crisis Levels

The bad:

Gen Z is arguably the most anxious, depressed, and financially uninformed generation in history¹^,².
A 2023 Gallup survey found that almost half (47%) of Gen Zers often or always feel anxious, and more than one in five (22%) often or always feel depressed³.
Anxiety disorders affect 25% of all teens and 30% of all teen girls, according to a study by the National Association of School Psychologists⁴.
Depression and anxiety are on the rise among America’s youth. Even if they themselves aren’t suffering, 7 in 10 teenagers consider these major problems among their peers⁵.

The good:

Gen Z is aware of and willing to talk about mental health issues⁶.
They are the first generation in history to list mental health as their top New Year’s resolution⁷.

This fosters hope for them, because recognizing and naming a problem is the first step in solving it. ‍

Over-Pathologized & Over-Prescribed

Mental health advocates are coming to realize that we may have over-pathologized perfectly normal human emotions. Yesteryear’s sadness is today’s depression. What used to be called excitement has been recast as anxiety. This is not to discount depression or anxiety as real concerns or illnesses, or to suggest that long-term sadness isn’t depression and chronic unsettledness isn’t anxiety.

One must wonder, however, whether our medical industry too quickly prescribes medication to ‘treat’ perfectly normal ebbs and flows in human emotions. Take, for example, the fact that teen antidepressant prescriptions have skyrocketed.

Researchers examined antidepressant prescriptions for young individuals in the United States ages 12–25. Between 2016 and 2022, the monthly antidepressant dispensing rate for this age group (roughly the age parameters for Gen Z) increased by 66.3%⁸.

Further, Gen Z represents 20 percent of all healthcare spending, while 42 percent of all healthcare expenditures go to Gen Z mental health and substance abuse issues.

‍A rise in self-diagnosis. Another disturbing trend is the mental health self diagnoses young adults are entertaining on social media. Today’s young adults are much more likely than previous generations to tell their parents they have ADHD, PTSD or other diagnoses they saw online⁹.

‍'Whack-a-mole’ isn’t a tactic to solve the crisis. Unfortunately, today, many approaches to mental wellness are focused on episodic situations or events. This can cause attempts at remedies to become “siloed.” While the western mindset and approach to diagnoses, preventions, and cures for physical and mental maladies have been very analytical and cut-and-dried in their approach. Let's face it, we're highly complex beings. And when you consider variables such as upbringing, psychological makeup, substance use distress and addiction, mental wellness solutions are a complex web that are difficult to unravel.

‍Using fear as a tactic. We’ve used fear-based methods that simply don’t work for many youth who, by nature, are in a phase of self-discovery at the same time they are exploring boundaries. Just telling youth and young adults not to do drugs, not to smoke or vape, not to use alcohol, to limit social media or to avoid eating sugar or processed foods simply doesn' t work for most. Prohibition is a very recent example of this. This approach - using fear of consequences - possibly could have the unintended effect of depriving them of a sense of possibility, awe and excitement for the future.

There are two ways we change human behavior. We can (1) try to scare people into making better choices (short-term, less authentic) or (2) we can inspire them (long-term, genuine).

Rather than just talking to youth and young adults about drugs and all the horrible things that could happen, maybe we should show them how they can become self-reliant in their own decision making and that they can learn to empower themselves starting at younger ages¹⁰? Better yet, why not give them the tools to make strides toward consistent improvements and learn from their “mistakes.”

Is the answer found in an empty prescription bottle?‍

Ask yourself: have commonly used methods - namely prescription medications - best served the people using them? For some yes, but for many the aforementioned statistics tell a much different story.

From my perspective as a parent and someone who has made it my life mission to make a difference for those facing mental health and addiction challenges, we seem to be trying to extinguish a forest fire with thimbles full of water.

Most young adults don’t need to be fixed; they need to be BELIEVED in.

There is a lot at stake: an entire generation, in fact. A massive tidal wave of despair and frustration is approaching, whether we act or not.

So let’s act. And quickly.

An Approach so Novel it Defined a New Category: Empowered Mental Wellness

It became clear to me that continuing with the same approaches wouldn’t move the needle. Brightn pursued a new approach—one that isn’t just another meditation or fitness app.

“At some point we need to stop pulling people out of the river and move further upstream to see why they are falling into it in the first place.”
—Desmond Tutu

While treatment will always be needed, why not try to make an impact much earlier? Why not empower the individual with tools and resources in a structured format, further upstream?

‍Introducing the New Category: Empowered Mental Wellness

Empowered Youth Mental Wellness puts more control in the hands of young adults through self-guided systems and processes that encourage growth and goals rather than avoidance and procrastination¹⁰.

Humans have plans for almost everything in our lives, from vacations to workouts to finances. And research supports the value of planning. Take business, for example¹¹.

But what about plans for our mental wellness?

Why would you have a mental wellness ‘plan’ or some kind of ‘systematized’ approach?

Maybe the question should be: ‘Why not?’

‍Three Pillars of Optimal Mental Wellness

Three pillars form the foundation for a fulfilling and balanced life. They are health, wealth, and purpose. Together, these three pillars create a sturdy framework for optimal wellness. When one pillar is weak or neglected, it can throw off the balance of the entire structure. By prioritizing health, wealth, and purpose in your life, you can cultivate a sense of wholeness, resilience, and fulfillment that transcends material wealth and fleeting pleasures.

Health

There is little debate over whether having a strong foundation of healthy choices can go a long way to improving physical health. Sleep, focus and motivation can be enhanced over time by a disciplined and strategic plan¹². Breathwork, meditation, walking and exposure to sunlight are just a few of the many resources that are in abundance and for the most part are free.

‍Wealth

The #1 stressor for older Gen Z is financial insecurity. This rarely gets discussed, especially in conjunction with other aspects of mental wellness¹³. This is a major issue as student debt, credit card debt and even online gambling have combined to create a toxic environment for young adults to develop a healthy relationship with money¹⁴. Schools tend to focus on the quantitative element of finances and less on the qualitative and financial literacy needs, which should be better emphasized in the educational experiences for our youth¹⁵. Meanwhile, 78% of American adults live paycheck to paycheck¹⁶. Can young adults learn good money management skills and habits when a very high percentage of their parents are struggling financially?

Research has shown a healthier relationship with money can improve youth mental wellness, yet there is very little public discussion about this, and even less counsel on it from care providers. Gaining financial knowledge and increasing confidence with money can boost self esteem and lessen anxiety¹⁷.

Purpose

..over half of young adults (58%) said they had experienced little or no purpose or meaning in their lives in the previous month”¹⁸.

Much of Gen Z’s despair comes from a lack of meaning and purpose. Encouraging self discovery, personal interests and being in service of others will go a long way in turning this trend around¹⁹.

The Value of Habits and Routines

Many young adults live in an instant gratification world today with 60-second self help videos and ample access to influencers offering ‘quick fix’ life improvement hacks. Yet research and studies have shown it takes approximately 66 days for a behavior to become a habit. Recurring daily behaviors will go a long way to becoming a habit²⁰.Research has shown that practices like journaling and mood tracking can improve youth mental wellnesst²¹.

The Role of Technology

Increasingly, technology plays a key role in promoting physical health²². Technology such as smartphone apps can improve access to mental health resources, highlighting the importance and value of counseling, therapy and mental wellness education. Effective stress management techniques such as mindfulness, breathwork and relaxation exercise can build effective coping skills²³.

Thrivers not Users

Having defined Empowered Mental Wellness as a new category within the wellness space, we also have a new term that defines those who use the app: Thriver.

‍Introducing The Brightn Mental Wellness App:
A Structured Approach in Everyone’s Hands

Incorporating the three pillars of a balanced and fulfilling life (health, wealth and purpose) in a structured way that develops routines, available on a device that virtually everyone has in their hands or nearby during every waking moment, Brightn is a comprehensive app designed to encourage young adults to proactively manage their mental wellness. Offering a personal and innovative AI experience with planning tools, mood tracking features, and educational resources, the Brightn app equips Thrivers with the support they need to rise to new levels emotionally, academically, and personally.

By completing a brief onboarding questionnaire consisting of nine questions designed with input from clinicians, Brightn quickly personalizes the Thriver experience and recommends videos, challenges and programs catered to the uniqueness of each young adult. Thrivers accumulate points (rewards) which they can elect to give back to support the environment and community through innovative programs like planting trees, assisting animal shelters or even purchasing curated mental wellness merchandise. This teaches them the importance of giving back which in turn helps with establishing meaning and purpose in their lives.

The core philosophy of Brightn is to engage Thrivers to help themselves, with the goal of avoiding interventions or crises later. From building your own Unique Life Statement (ULS) to posting on the Brightn Wall, the Brightn app encourages empowerment in a creative way to foster a sense of community and support.

Conclusion

The youth mental health industry is at a crossroad. A fresh new approach needs to be considered as well as increasing the efficacy of the current treatment and prevention methods. It’s all hands on deck. Focusing on one element of mental health and ignoring the integration of health, wealth and purpose wastes an opportunity for us to do better.

Over 95% of the 2.56B Gen Zer’s own or have access to a smartphone and spend an average of 4 hours per day on them²⁴. Leveraging technology, specifically smartphones and AI makes this an exciting time for increasing youth wellbeing. It’s time to turn what is becoming their biggest enemy, the phone, into their biggest ally. Let’s stop fighting them and start to believe in them.

About the Technology

The Brightn app leverages cutting-edge technology through a robust infrastructure supporting both iOS 13.0+ and Android 8.0+ platforms. Our security-first approach implements end-to-end encryption with user-controlled data retention, while multi-language support is currently in development.

The AI implementation consists of three main components. Our Natural Language Processing utilizes OpenAI Embeddings for processing journal entries, enabling personalized response generation and context-aware journaling support. The Vector Database Integration employs Pinecone vector store for efficient data storage and rapid retrieval of relevant past entries, while ensuring secure data management. Our Custom Development framework uses Node.js implementation with Amplify, incorporating native voice recognition and real-time transcription capabilities.

At Brightn, we are confident that by creating a safe and fun environment, utilizing the best of our patent pending technology and AI, we can equip these young men and women to become more resilient, more confident and become the best they can be!

Let’s Brightn Lives Together! 🔅

About the Author

‍

Jeffrey Johnston’s life changed forever on October 4, 2016, when his oldest son, Seth, died from fentanyl poisoning at age 23. A successful entrepreneur and financial advisor in Iowa, Jeff set aside his career to advocate for substance use awareness and mental health. He spoke at schools, joined the board of a local treatment facility, and launched the Living Undeterred Project in 2020 to challenge stigmas surrounding addiction. That same year, he wrote This One’s For You and started the Living Undeterred Podcast. In 2021, he lost his wife, Prudence, to alcoholism. Determined to spark change, Jeff completed a 95-day nationwide tour in 2022 and is now developing Brightn, a mental health project for Gen Z.

Learn More

Download the Brightn app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Visit https://brightn.app, review our LinkedIn page, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok @Brightnapp.

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