Why Is Anxiety So Common in America? What Changed? Unfortunately, no one seems to have an exact answer as to why anxiety is so common, but many attribute this presumed increase in anxiety disorders to factors such as social media, poor sleep habits, lowered stigma, and underreporting in the past.
A brief look into mental health statistics will suggest that anxiety is more prevalent now than it has ever been. You can find studies all over the internet that report an increase in anxiety and depression-related disorders over the last century. Why is this the case?
Hofmann said social media, family issues and stress are main factors contributing to the weak mental health among college students. She also said the rise of violence in the country has caused a spike in anxiety among Gen Z. “We saw the trend with millennials and saw a greater impact with Gen Z,” said Hofmann.
For nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults, it goes beyond even that. Diagnoses for anxiety disorders — most commonly phobias, panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and post-traumatic stress — are all on the rise.
Various factors can cause anxiety to worsen. The triggers vary between individuals but include ongoing stress, a bereavement, financial problems, and key events, such as a job interview. Anxiety can lead to feelings of nervousness, apprehension, and worry.
Typical anxiety can last for days, or at least until you've dealt with whatever is making you anxious, but anxiety disorders can persist for months or years without relief. Often, the only way to control anxiety is through professional treatment.
Crying is an important coping mechanism, psychologists say. It allows us to express difficult emotions. It may help reduce stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body's ability to relax. And, perhaps most important, it allows us to solicit emotional support and bond.
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.
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. Of these people, 26% were diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which worsened mental health for many people of all ages.
So it's no surprise recent studies have declared millennials, especially women, the most anxious generation in history. Anxiety comes in many forms, but the simplest way to describe it is feeling worried or nervous about the future or uncertain situations.
Students fear a lack of finances and fulfilment
The greatest fears for Generation Z centre on not achieving their hopes and dreams for the future.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), people in the 18-33 age group suffer the highest levels of stress in the U.S.
Whether it's financial debt, consumption of social media, always connected work environments or heavier workloads with fewer resources, there are many different factors that may cause higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression in millennials compared to past generations.
Between classical antiquity and modem psychiatry, there was an interval of centuries when the concept of anxiety as an illness seems to have disappeared from written records. Patients with anxiety did exist, but they were diagnosed with other diagnostic terms.
Adults 60 years of age and older are more likely to experience physical symptoms of anxiety than their younger counterparts. This age group also has a higher risk of other medical issues, which can increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
Anticipatory anxiety is a normal human process and a reaction to stress. Anxiety only becomes a problem when it involves excessive fear or worries that impact a person's wellbeing and functioning.
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%).
The average life expectancy of baby boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z are different. Compared to the 70-year life expectancy of baby boomers and the 85-year life expectancy of Gen X, Gen Z is predicted to have a life expectancy of over 100 years.
These children are more depressed and anxious than any previous generation. Overwhelmed with options, information, and technology, they are noticeably overprotected and harder to inspire. Directly translated, the book is titled “Generation incapable at life: how our children are deprived of their future”.
All work and no play makes Gen Z very dull. Young adults are feeling burned-out by the endless rise and grind of work, and they're starting to wonder what's the point of it all. A whopping 98% of young adults ages 18 to 24 are experiencing worker burnout, according to Cigna 360's Global Well-Being Survey 2022.
In 1937, the British cardiologist Lord Horder (1871-1955) argued that 'the stress of modern life' was a product of the 'monotony and drabness' of work, a lack of exercise and sleep, an 'increasing sense of international insecurity', and the 'anxiety connected with the competition of living'.
According to Bankrate, 77% of Gen Z workers are thinking about leaving their jobs while Microsoft found that 54% of Gen Z workers are looking to quit. This is pushing Gen Z to be deemed 'Generation Quit'.
Today's psychological thought largely concurs, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to release stress and emotional pain. Crying is an important safety valve, largely because keeping difficult feelings inside — what psychologists call repressive coping — can be bad for our health.
In the short term, it can cause pesky problems such as irritability, anxiety, and poor sleep. But over time, repressing your tears can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension — or even cancer.