Toxic Tech To Lost Play: Why Experts Say Young Boys Are Facing A Happiness Crisis Today

More and more young boys are dealing with isolation and unhappiness — and experts have a theory why.

On Assignment For HuffPost

It’s well established that people are more stressed, anxious and lonely now than generations ago. While these problems are often examined in adults, they are also more prevalent among teens and kids.

There’s no one reason why society, and specifically kids, are struggling more in today’s world, although screens, digital culture and other modern stressors certainly don’t help. This is true for all young people; however, there are a few issues really affecting boys right now.

Young boys are particularly susceptible to the “manosphere,” which is a toxic culture that leaves them feeling isolated.

The “manosphere” ― which describes the many online communities that preach a culture of toxic masculinity and misogyny ― is a growing problem in society. And young boys are highly susceptible to the harms, said Carine Diverlus, a psychotherapist and founder of Pieces to Peace Psychotherapy in Toronto.

Many men who subscribe to these views believe there’s “prejudice” against men in current society. It also normalises the idea that men are “naturally dominant,” according to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and normalises violence toward women and girls.

For those who engage with problematic podcasts, message boards or anti-feminist videos promoting these views, those beliefs “ultimately shape a lot of their own engagements with their surrounding world, but it also creates such a harmful relationship between themselves and self,” Diverlus said.

“They’re being taught to believe that men are superior, that men deserve all these things ... but at the root of these beliefs are a lot of insecurities,” she added.

There is also a lot of shame that comes with these toxic beliefs and expectations, because they push boys “to show up in a particular way. There are a lot of actual high........

© HuffPost