Youth mental health: AI can't replace a face
Four out of ten young people aged 18 to 24 report moderate or severe symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress in Mexico.
Psychologist Luz Alejandra Fernández Villanueva told IMER Noticias that many young people already talk about their problems with a chatbot. Youth mental health in Mexico shows a persistent unease, according to INEGI and 2025 surveys.
For many, the first place where they share how they're doing isn't the family dinner table or a friend: it's a chat window. The most connected generation in history also carries one of the deepest loneliness.
About 40% of people aged 18 to 24 report anxiety, depression or stress of moderate or severe intensity. Between ages 12 and 17, the burden is heavier for women: 13.2% versus 6.9% for men.
«The most connected generation in history also carries one of the deepest loneliness.»
Intensive use of TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp is linked to more perceived isolation and frustration. Constant on-screen conversation can gradually push aside face-to-face bonds, until it leaves a loneliness accompanied.
Fernández Villanueva traced the root to two places: loneliness and lack of communication in the family. When no one at home truly asks, the chat becomes the friendliest place to talk. And an algorithm always has time.
A screen's company is not presence
A chatbot responds at any hour. It doesn't get tired, doesn't get distracted, doesn't judge. That's why it feels safe. But it doesn't look at you, doesn't hug you, doesn't stay silent with you when there's nothing to say. When everything happens through text, what only happens in person is lost: the gaze, the tone, the hug. A machine repeats your phrases; it doesn't carry your burden.
Scripture says it early: «It is not good that the man should be alone» (Genesis 2:18, ESV). It's not a character flaw or a punishment: it's a design. We were made for faces, voices and hands that reach out. The screen accompanies for a while; presence is something else.
What families can notice in time
Fernández Villanueva warned that social media also exposes adolescents and children to mockery, aggression and image sharing, and that this hits self-esteem. At home, she said, there are signs worth watching: isolation, changes in sleep or appetite, irritability and sadness that doesn't pass.
Her advice goes against interrogation: «Approach your people, your adolescents, your young people to talk initially rather than to interrogate». With that trust, she maintained, you can later talk about more serious things. She also asked to monitor device use, learn to use parental controls and seek professional guidance if those changes persist.
A small group, a real face
If you're the one feeling lonely, don't wait for someone to guess it. A small group at your church does something no algorithm achieves: it notices if you were missing. Choose two or three people and tell them the real stuff, not just the presentable. «Not neglecting to meet together» (Hebrews 10:25, ESV) isn't an attendance rule; it's the promise that faith is sustained with others.
If the unease continues for weeks, talking to a health professional isn't a lack of faith. It's care for your life. If it's an emergency, seek your country's emergency services and let someone you trust know. And if you want to find a helpline, Sígueme recommends the directory findahelpline.com.
This week you can do something simple: think of the person you'd tell what's happening to you and send them a message. It doesn't have to be a long conversation. It can start with an honest question: who do you tell what's happening to you?
