Gen Z and mental health. Regarding the stats, it's clear that Gen Z is struggling. A 2022 survey of Gen Z young adults (ages 19 through 24) found that 42% are diagnosed with a mental health condition.
In most surveyed countries, a higher share of Gen Z survey respondents report poor mental, social, and spiritual health compared with other generations.
The biggest mental health issue Gen Z deals with is anxiety. Nine out of ten Gen Z with diagnosed mental health conditions struggle with anxiety, and nearly eight out of ten (78%) are battling depression. Other mental health conditions the generation faces are ADHD (27%), PTSD (20%), and OCD (17%).
Gen Z (42%) is about twice as likely as Americans over 25 (23%) to battle depression and feelings of hopelessness.
Over 40% of Gen Zers have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Gen Zers have conflicting opinions when it comes to social media's impact on their mental health. Some Gen Zers will step away from social media when it becomes overwhelming. Gen Zers are more likely than other generations to seek therapy.
Why Is Generation Z So Depressed? Gen Z faces chronic stress from many factors including school shootings, student debt, joblessness and even politics. Technology plays a role, too. Growing up in a hyper-connected world can evoke intense feelings of isolation and loneliness in some youth.
For Gen Zs who spent a lot of time in lockdowns (as most people did), they've missed the opportunity to socialise and get comfortable with meeting people and making new friends. Social media use is high for Gen Zs, and rose during the socially-isolated periods, because it was the only way to stay connected.
Gen Z also faces an unprecedented behavioral health crisis: US Gen Zers surveyed by McKinsey report the least positive outlook and the highest prevalence of mental illness of any generation, and European respondents report struggling with self-stigma.
Gen Z and the Loneliness Epidemic
Business Insider's research further reveals that 60% of Gen Z has felt the grip of loneliness within the past year. Additionally, an alarming 30% of young people confess they are unsure how to make new friends (Vice, 2022), heightening their feelings of isolation.
Millennials (and the kids born after them) are currently being called the “unhealthiest generation” in human history—facing diagnoses, mysterious illnesses and conditions that our ancestors or their parents never faced.
According to Cigna International Health's 2023 survey of almost 12,000 workers around the world, 91% of 18-to-24-year-olds report being stressed – compared to 84% on average. Research indicates Gen Z are emerging as the most stressed demographic in the workplace, and struggling mightily to cope.
Here's what companies can do about it. In a survey by the Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit, 47% of Gen Z workers reported experiencing stress related to their job at least once per week, compared to 27% of Baby Boomers.
What are the values of Gen Z? Gen Z is known for being resourceful, independent learners who value diversity and inclusive culture and place a priority on well-being and mental health in the workplace. They are fiscally conservative with a keen focus on investing and income. Gen Z values justice and equity.
Results from a recent Australian National Youth Mental Health Survey taken in 2020 -2021 showed Gen Zer's are reporting the highest rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, loneliness, unemployment, housing stress, educational disruption, eating disorders, substance abuse, and social anxiety, in history.
Researchers say younger generations deal with an ongoing wealth inequality. They see senior executives get bonuses and higher wages, while average worker wages remain stagnant. In a 2023 Deloitte survey, nearly half of Gen Zs and four in 10 millennials said they feel stressed all or most of the time.
Social media and technology use are major contributors to Gen Z depression. While technology has many advantages, it can also be a source of anxiety and stress. Excessive social media use has been linked to feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, and depression, according to research.
And a survey of 600 individuals found that Gen Z is the most unhappy generation at work. Just 59% of Gen Z workers are happy, compared to 69% for Baby Boomers and 76% for Millennials and Gen X. In addition, 9% of Baby Boomers are unhappy at work, compared to 26% of Gen Z and 13% for Gen X and Millennials.
MIAMI - A growing number of Millennial and Gen-Z women are choosing not to become parents. A 2021 Pew Research Center Survey shows 44 percent of non-parents ages 18 to 49 say it is "not too likely" or "not likely at all" that they will have children someday, up 7 percentage points from 2018's survey.
For generation Z, 73 percent of respondents said they weren't currently dating or looking for a relationship because they had more important priorities at the moment. The survey showed a generational gap in the different reasons why Americans are content with being single.
Unlike previous generations, Gen Z has little to no memory of a world without the internet, smartphones, and social media. Technology is a substantial part of their life. Being continually connected can also result in self-esteem issues and feeling pressure to conform.
It's little wonder why: Gen Z are more likely than other generations to report that the pay they receive for their work does not afford them a good quality of life (26% compared to 20%), and 77% of them are in search of a new job (nearly double the rate of other respondents), per a McKinsey & Company report.
Anxiety and depression: Gen Z experiences high rates of anxiety and depression due to academic pressures, social media comparisons, economic uncertainty, and other stressors. Encourage open conversations: Create a safe and non-judgmental space for Gen Z individuals to express their feelings and concerns.
According to a February 2022 Ogilvy study, 70% of Gen-Zers say their mental health needs the most attention or improvement. And an American Psychological Association report found that Gen-Z is more likely to report mental health concerns than any other demographic group.
Generation Z can experience negative emotions such as anxiety, strangeness, and panic when absent from one's device or experience feelings of being afraid due to not knowing what everyone else is doing (Vincent, 2006).