Gen Z's average reported stress level (5.3) is higher than the overall average, as are the reported stress levels for Millennials, who have the highest average (5.7), and Gen X (5.1). In contrast, Boomers and older adults fall well below the average stress levels (4.1 and 3.3, respectively).
Gen Z's social media habits are making them anxious, too
Social media compounds it all. While there are many benefits to social media, it's a double-edged sword because it can create pressure, insecurity and judgement. It's no surprise Zoomers feel pressure to have a picture-perfect image and life.
What age is stress most common? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), people in the 18-33 age group suffer the highest levels of stress in the U.S.
It found that, while there are similar rates of happiness across the older three generations, Gen Z is by far the least happy at work. Twenty-six percent of Gen Zers were unhappy in their jobs, and 17% were actively thinking about quitting.
But they're also stressed out about things like politics, the environment, violence and work issues. Nearly 90 percent of Z's say they don't feel set up for success and 75 percent of them believe they are at a disadvantage compared to the older generations.
According to the APA, Gen Zs are significantly more likely than previous generations to seek help for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
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.
While Generation Z has been called the most depressed generation, members of this group are more likely than their older peers to seek out mental health counseling or therapy. Some 37% of Gen Zers — a higher rate than any previous generation — report having worked with a mental health professional.
Gen Z and millennials are leading 'the big quit' in 2023—why nearly 70% plan to leave their jobs.
In most surveyed countries, a higher proportion of Gen Z respondents said their mental health was poor or very poor when compared with other dimensions of health (16 percent in Gen Z and 7 percent for baby boomers).
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
Gallup Results and Corroborating Research
Respondents age 50 and above were the least stressed (44%), the least worried (38%) and the least angry (16%).
The peak ages for anxiety are typically between the ages of 5-7 years old and adolescence. However, everyone is different, and your anxiety can peak at various times, depending on what triggers it initially. Merely feeling anxious is the body's response to danger as the fight-or-flight hormone kicks in.
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.
Even before the pandemic, social isolation was a growing concern among young people, with studies showing that rates of loneliness and social isolation have been increasing over the past decade. The pervasive use of technology is another factor that can impact Gen Z's mental health.
The survey found more Gen Zers reporting that they have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression. 18% of Gen Z reported an anxiety disorder diagnosis, and 23% reported they had been diagnosed with depression.
Gen Z (42%) is about twice as likely as Americans over 25 (23%) to battle depression and feelings of hopelessness.
Gen Z is also the smartest and best educated generation. Having an unlimited wealth of information at our disposal has not gone to waste. In America, 57 percent of Gen Z is reported to have enrolled in a two-year or four-year college, compared to 52 percent of Millenials and 43 percent of Gen X.
Millennials are America's largest generation. But they're one of the smallest groups that make up Congress.
Millennials and Gen Z-ers are considered two of the most anxious generations in history, and with many intense generation-specific stressors facing them in recent years—including climate change, political polarization, systemic racism, gun violence, and financial instability—it's easy to see why people are being ...
Nikola Tesla was often mentally compromised, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart suffered from mood swings. Beethoven was periodically depressed; Tolstoy was a strange, otherworldly, idiosyncratic aristocrat; and let's not forget the periodically outright psychotic, super-genius Isaac Newton.
And an American Psychological Association report found that Gen-Z is more likely to report mental health concerns than any other demographic group.
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.
Coping With Obesity
If Gen Z's historically high child and teen obesity rate continues unchanged, 77 percent of men and 61 percent of women in the demographic will be obese by adulthood. One of the major reasons is that kids are not as active as older generations were.
Both the Millennial generation and Gen Z have exhibited a trend toward increased levels of anxiety and depression. It's likely that this trend will continue with Generation Alpha.