Gen Z more open to talking about mental health

While they are at particularly high risk of struggling with mental health issues, Gen Z are the best equipped to seek help for their troubles.

KALPANA MAHENDRAN
22 Jan 2025 11:00am
Zoomers are more likely to self-report mental health struggles. Photo: Generated by AI
Zoomers are more likely to self-report mental health struggles. Photo: Generated by AI
THE state of Gen Z’s mental health is somewhat alarming; a study last year by Naluri found that 66 per cent of youths in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong were deemed "at high risk" of struggling with mental health. That’s compared to 48 per cent of Millennials and 28 per cent of Gen X.

In contrast, the American Psychological Association finds only 30 percent of Baby Boomers self-report poor mental health.

Partially, this is due to factors unique to Gen Z (such as partially being raised online and going through a global pandemic during their formative years). However, there could be another reason the numbers are so high — Zoomers are more likely to self-report mental health struggles because they’re not ashamed of talking about them.

A study by data management firm Harmony Health IT reports that 87 per cent of Zoomers surveyed felt comfortable discussing mental health with other people. The American Psychological Association also shows us that they are far more likely to seek treatment for their issues (37 per cent seek therapy, compared to 26 per cent of Gen X and 22 per cent of Baby Boomers).

While this change likely varies from country to country, it appears overall that Zoomers no longer care for the stigma surrounding discussions of mental health.

WHY THE CHANGE?

The most obvious reason is the ease of information-sharing, compared to two decades ago when knowledge was largely limited to what one could gather in-person. The existence of online resources means that someone can easily look up symptoms, read the opinions of experts, and gain access to information.

While this information does not replace the accuracy of a professional diagnosis, it does mean a person is able to easily find out if there is a problem in the first place; one of the top 100 most-Googled questions is, for instance, "what is gaslighting".

Labels such as 'stupid' or 'lazy' come with a caveat, because Zoomers are aware that sometimes those 'faults' are symptoms of ongoing mental health issues. Because of this, many Zoomers feel safe about opening up; they have reason to believe their honesty will be rewarded with kindness.

The discussion has been normalised — rather than suffering in isolation, one in three Zoomers have spoken about their mental health online. Now, a person can log onto social media and read about mental health experiences from people all over the world.

ISSUES IN COMMON

In particular, the issues most commonly spoken about (and diagnosed) are anxiety and depression. Of all diagnoses recorded by Harmony Health IT, 90 per cent include an anxiety disorder and 78 per cent include depression.

The study finds that the future, financial pressure, and work cause Zoomers the most anxiety. The Annie E. Casey Foundation adds worries about climate change and an overall sense that "things are falling apart".

This goes hand in hand with depression; many report feeling hopeless and powerless in the face of what seems like a never-ending stream of bad news.

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Due to the prevalence of mental health struggles, it may be useful to take note of potential symptoms you might be facing. The Mayo Clinic outlines some of the most common symptoms of anxiety as follows:
  1. Feeling nervous, restless or tense
  2. Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
  3. Having an increased heart rate
  4. Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
  5. Sweating
  6. Trembling
  7. Feeling weak or tired
  8. Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
  9. Having trouble sleeping
  10. Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
  11. Having difficulty controlling worry
  12. Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
Those dealing with depression may instead face these issues:
  1. Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
  2. Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
  3. Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
  4. Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
  5. Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
  6. Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
  7. Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
  8. Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
  9. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
  10. Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
  11. Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
  12. Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
If you or a loved one suffer from these symptoms, it may be worth getting in touch with a mental health professional. Do not be afraid to seek help; the stigma around mental health is fading, and, based on current trends, it seems we as a society are finally ready to take our mental health seriously.

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