Why do Gen Z have more mental health issues than other generations? Have societal challenges created a Gen Z mental health crisis?
According to Abigail Shrier’s book Bad Therapy, young people’s mental health today differs from that of older generations. Generation Z (those born 1995-2012) struggle with mental health more than previous generations.
Let’s debunk the myths behind the Gen Z mental health crisis to understand it better.
Gen Z’s Mental Health Crisis
Gen Z experiences unprecedented levels of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Shrier specifies that nearly half of this generation think their mental health is poor: 40% have sought professional care and 42% have a formal diagnosis. Let’s look at the reasons behind Gen Z’s mental health crisis.
| Could Poorer Mental Health Be a Natural Life Stage? Some researchers suggest that Gen Z’s mental health challenges may reflect their life stage more so than a generational crisis. According to research, young adults in their 20s and 30s consistently report higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression compared to other age groups. That’s because this life stage brings challenges that have always been particularly difficult for young people like establishing careers, finding partners, and managing finances. Additionally, studies show that mental health tends to improve as people age. Older adults generally report higher life satisfaction because they know how to better handle stress and have more positive thinking patterns. So, while it’s still important to address Gen Z’s mental health struggles, we shouldn’t assume that poor youth mental health is unique to this generation. |
Myths About Gen Z’s Poor Mental Health
Many mental health experts argue that Gen Z simply faces greater challenges than previous generations. These experts cite three challenges that make this generation uniquely stressed:
- Smartphones and social media: Experts argue these technologies harm mental health by causing depression and anxiety, and preventing healthy in-person relationships.
- Covid-19 lockdowns: The pandemic forced young people into isolation, cutting them off from friends, normal school life, and social activities during their crucial developmental years.
- Climate change: Many experts say that young people feel hopeless and anxious about environmental disasters, rising temperatures, and fears about the planet’s future.
However, Shrier argues that these are insufficient explanations for Gen Z’s poor mental health. She acknowledges that smartphones and lockdowns deprive children of in-person interactions, but she argues that mental health problems among young people were increasing well before lockdowns and smartphones. She also doubts that climate change is a major cause of youth mental health problems—past generations also faced existential threats like nuclear warfare without having widespread mental health problems.
| The Digital Age and the Growing Awareness of Trauma Some experts recognize that other generations faced their share of challenges, but they point out that Gen Z experiences and copes with these challenges differently in two ways: 1. Gen Z is more aware of traumatic events. This generation has grown up with unprecedented exposure to information through social media, with 54% on social media for at least four hours daily. This means they constantly encounter news about disasters, shootings, or global crises—creating a continuous stream of potential anxiety triggers that previous generations didn’t experience. So, Gen Z individuals are not only experiencing challenges, but they’re constantly reminded of them. 2. Gen Z is more vocal about mental health struggles. Unlike their parents or grandparents who often kept psychological struggles private, 87% of Gen Z young adults feel comfortable discussing mental health openly, and many use social media platforms to share their experiences and build supportive communities. Both Gen Z’s increased exposure to traumatic information and openness about mental health might explain why this generation appears to struggle with mental health challenges more. |
The Real Cause of Gen Z’s Poor Mental Health
So, what’s actually causing Gen Z’s poor mental health? According to Shrier, the real cause is the way parents raise their children—an approach that relies too heavily on mental health experts, therapies, and medications. They rush to have their kids tested and diagnosed at the smallest sign of a problem, treating normal childhood challenges as problems that require professional help. For example, parents might seek therapy when their child experiences common growing pains like anxiety about schoolwork or sadness after a breakup.
(Shortform note: In The Myth of Normal, Gabor Maté agrees that society has a tendency to pathologize normal challenges as medical problems, arguing that we’ve lost sight of what “normal” behavior actually means for both adults and children. He says that many behaviors we label as disorders are actually natural responses to an unhealthy society. For instance, when a child can’t sit still in class, we’re quick to diagnose them with ADHD rather than questioning whether it’s natural for young children to sit quietly for hours. Like Shrier, Maté discourages relying too much on the medical system, which he says reduces complex human experiences to simple symptoms that need to be fixed with medication.)
Shrier points out that youth mental health is poorer than ever despite therapy, medication, and mental health accommodations becoming more available—a trend she refers to as the treatment-prevalence paradox. This paradox suggests that mental health treatments aren’t helping and are even making things worse.
(Shortform note: Some experts argue that the paradox doesn’t suggest that treatments don’t work—it’s just that most people can’t get proper access to them. According to research, over 90% of people globally who need mental health treatment can’t get it, especially in low- and middle-income countries where trained professionals are scarce. Even in wealthier countries like the United States, most people receive mental health care from primary care doctors who often lack the specialized training and time needed to implement treatments correctly.)
