Abstract
The full text of this article is freely and openly accessible from the following repository: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8327353
Three demographic trends are colliding to form a perfect storm: the postretirement portion of the population is swelling, the human life span is lengthening, and the birth rate is dropping. The result is that the balance of young to old in the population is shifting, leaving fewer young workers to drive the economy and pay taxes to support aging citizens. These 3 trends mean more stress for the young and less support for the old, bringing 2 opportunities for the mental health field. First, an opportunity to prevent disability among young people, which would enhance their well-being and capacity to shoulder the burden of the dependent older population. Young people tend to be physically healthy but can experience behavioral problems, emotional problems, substance abuse, and cognitive impairments. These conditions respond to mental health treatments. Second, an opportunity to prevent ill health among older people, which would reduce the burden of age-related disability. Here, we argue that psychiatry is well situated to prevent disability among older people by doing something it does well: treat young people. Risk-prediction research shows that the same people who have poor mental and cognitive health while young tend to have age-related diseases years later.1,2 Moreover, the timing is right. Mental disorders peak in adolescence and young adulthood, whereas noninfectious diseases peak in midlife and neurodegenerative conditions peak in late life.