A lifelong St. Pete citizen has announced a new venture to provide support for the youth mental health crisis both locally and afar. Hobie Long, Founder of Hobie Long Meditation, has made a groundbreaking move by releasing a free wellness app tailored to support young adults amidst the growing mental health challenges, many of which are attributed to the tumultuous world of social media. As we navigate the bustling digital age, the Hobie Long Meditation App aims to serve as a beacon of hope for adolescents and young adults seeking solace.

Long’s dual careers in the commercial software industry and the world of mental health helped create the vision that ultimately brought this new app to life. The Hobie Long Meditation app is a free resource that provides guided meditation, breathwork, and yoga for parents, educators, and young adults and can be downloaded on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Recent reports from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Surgeon General have shed light on an alarming trend in youth mental health, particularly among those ensnared by the pressures of social media. The NIMH’s 2023 report revealed staggering statistics, with an estimated 5.0 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 experiencing at least one major depressive episode. Astonishingly, this represented a whopping 20.1% of the U.S. population within that age group. A striking gender discrepancy was observed, with 29.2% of adolescent females experiencing major depressive episodes compared to 11.5% of males.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s report further underscored the perilous impact of social media on youth mental health. It highlighted a significant relationship between social media use and body image concerns, eating disorders, and the pervasive exposure to hate-based content. Furthermore, a systematic review of 42 studies revealed a consistent link between excessive social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and depression among young people.

Long recognized the potency of meditation in combating these challenges. Drawing from his experience as a LifeLine Counselor for the Trevor Project, a crisis hotline for adolescents and young adults, he integrated meditation modalities that personally aided him during his own struggle with depression as a young adult. Meditation, as the research shows, is a potent tool with profound clinical benefits for both mental and physical well-being.

MRI Imaging studies from the California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology corroborate the profound effects of meditation on mental health. These benefits include reducing anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts, enhancing sleep, focus, and mood, and even contributing to improved brain function, immune system function, and healthy aging.

In a world dominated by the fast-paced and often stressful nature of social media, the Hobie Long Meditation App is a respite, a digital sanctuary for the mind and soul. It is a testament to the power of meditation in fostering emotional well-being and creating a brighter future for our young adults.