SALEM, Utah — This week, FOX 13 News is focusing on the pressures facing Utah teens. To start, we are taking a look at the issue of loneliness that teens are facing.
National studies show that this emotional struggle is affecting young people across the country at unprecedented rates.
According to Harvard researchers, 61% of young Americans report feeling lonely frequently or all the time, compared to only 24% of older adults aged 55 to 65.
With teens spending most of their time in schools, it's alarming that more than half of adolescents report feeling disconnected from their peers, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Compounding the problem, the U.S. Surgeon General has reported a steady increase in loneliness, especially among young men, since 1976.
That's where motivational speaker Jesse LeBeau, who works with teens across the country, enters the conversation.
He believes, as do many, that much of this epidemic stems from social media and the ability for teens to reach it in the palm of their hands.
"I work with families all across the country, and I'm hearing over and over again about this teen loneliness epidemic," LeBeau said. "A lot of it comes back down to the phone and social media, and it's just a totally different world than we grew up in."
LeBeau is a sought-after youth speaker who shares his personal journey of overcoming obstacles to connect with teens on a deeper level. When you sit back and watch him work with those teens, you can understand why.
His message and personal stories encourage teens to look beyond social media, embrace kindness, and connect with others in person, outside of their phones.
"I feel like I don't fit in because I have a speech impediment, or my family doesn't have a lot of money, or I feel like I don't have friends," LeBeau explained. "They put themselves in my shoes, and that's how we start to connect and bond."
As a part of his journey through Utah, Jesse and other speakers are working with the Utah-based organization Stand4Kind, which Pam Hayes heads.
As the director, Hayes works to address mental health and the pressures teens face, cutting through the isolation by focusing on kindness, anti-bullying efforts, and suicide awareness.
The organization offers training for teachers, parents, and students in schools across Utah.
"Kids are still struggling. Parents are struggling. Anxiety and depression are high right now," Hayes said. "We've really got to break the stigma and keep talking about it. It's not a one-time conversation and done — it has to be ongoing."
The event I witnessed as a part of this story, Stand4Kind, was addressing Valley View Middle School in Salem, where LeBeau delivered a message of kindness and resilience.
"As a school setting, we have to understand that we're bringing 1,000 people together every single day, and we don't know the background of every single student and staff member," said Jentry Youd, the dean of students at Valley View.
The program helps students identify bullying, set boundaries with friends, recognize signs of anxiety, and know how to reach out for help — all tools they might need to combat the “epidemic of loneliness.”
For this crowd, they had those to guide them through. But thankfully, you at home can take the same resources and use them to address your teens' struggles with loneliness.
To start, Stand4kind has put together what they call a Parent Toolkit that can be found HERE. It's a comprehensive course that you can take to better prepare you for those conversations.
Hayes emphasized that the conversation about mental health and loneliness can begin anytime, and parents don't need to wait to engage with their teens about these challenges.
"We need to talk about mental health. Kids are struggling with anxiety and depression. We’ve got to give them the resources and start with kindness," Hayes said.
LeBeau echoed the importance of real-life connection, especially in a world dominated by screens and social media.
"It seems like they're connected because they have all these friends and followers, but really they're isolated and disconnected behind a screen," LeBeau said. "Anytime we can get them around other people in real life, connecting, having fun, and finding their tribe, it makes all the difference."
LeBeau believes the solution starts with encouraging teens to be kind to themselves, which can help them navigate the pressures of adolescence and break the cycle of loneliness.
"For me, it's about teaching kids to be kind to themselves. From there, the sky is the limit," he said.
This is just the beginning of a week-long focus by FOX 13 News on the pressures Utah teens face.
Each night, the news will highlight a different issue and offer solutions. Tuesday's segment will focus more on one of the biggest topics impacting teens today: social media and technology.
