What’s up with Gen Z? They seem more depressed than ever! Also known as “Zoomers,” Gen Z is a generation born between the 1990s and 2010s. This generation is the one that succeeds Millenials.
So, back to the question ― what’s eating them up?
According to the CBC and the findings published by the Harvard Business Review, Gen Z is more anxious than any other generation. Half of the millennial participants between the ages 24 and 39 said that they left a job due to mental health reasons. For Gen Z, participants’ ages ranged between 18 and 23, and 75% of them gave the same response because they felt anxious in their place of work.
So, what’s the reason behind this high incidence of depression among Gen Z? As per one explanation, the depression might be due to helicopter parents who have coddled their kids too much.
The Pandemic Has Given Rise to Depression in Zoomers
COVID-19 has done quite the number on Gen Z. From rising loneliness levels to increased anxiety and stress, today’s youth are facing many mental health issues. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) also revealed that Gen Z got hit the hardest after the lockdown.
The participants revealed that just after two weeks of the lockdown, they experienced depression symptoms such as having trouble thinking, feeling tired to the bone, sitting in the house aimlessly, feeling very restless, unhappy, and miserable, and not being able to concentrate on anything.
The Reason Behind the Depression
Imagine having no prospects in life, no future, and nothing to do at the moment. All your strategic thinking has gone down the drain, and there’s not an ounce of motivation left in you to get up and face the day.
Would you be happy with living such a life? That’s what COVID-19 has done for Gen Z. Where the older generation is already where they want to be, life has just begun for Gen Z. The thought of having no future, lack of education, and no social life has made them go down the rabbit hole of depression mother lode.
According to another survey titled Stress in America, when Gen Z was asked to rate their stress level out of 10, the highest level answered was 6.1. The reason behind their rating was fear. The more they thought about their future, the more they feared that they would be left behind in a progressing world.
The APA offered a few strategies for conquering fear, which include giving Gen Z some space to talk about their issues. Another technique to lessen in-the-moment-fear is to reflect on 3 good things in your life on that day. Moreover, the APA also said that a good support system goes a long way in pacifying the youth and giving them the motivation to keep struggling and moving forward. COVID-19 is here to stay for a while, and there’s no set timeline for things returning to normal. In these trying times, Gen Z should focus on the positive things surrounding them rather than fearing the future.