There’s a lot of worrying about Millennials in the media. People worry about Millennials’ job prospects, their student debt, and on and on.
Maybe there’s some mirroring going on here, because it turns out that the mental health issue that is hitting Millennials the hardest is Anxiety. Compared to older and younger generations, Millennials have the highest rates of Anxiety Disorders. According to the American Psychological Association, 12% of Millennials (aged 18-34) have been diagnosed at some point with an official Anxiety Disorder. That’s almost twice the rate of Baby Boomers.
Other studies have found that 30 percent of working millennials are classified with general anxiety, and a 2014 American College Health Association (ACHA) assessment found that 61 percent of college students experience frequent anxiety. With such staggering numbers, millennials undoubtedly experience a great deal of stress, and subsequently, difficulty properly managing it. What might be hitting this age group particularly hard that leads to clinical levels of anxiety?
Some ideas from Journalists at Huffington Post include:
- Unprecedented levels of Student Loan Debt
- A Difficult Job Market
- Growing up steeped in Social Media
- Creep of Work Hours so that you feel you always have to be ‘on’ and responsive to work tasks
- Poor Sleep Habits
- Worry about the future in the midst of historical high costs for housing and healthcare
- Aging Parents
Here at Thrive Counseling in Denver, we hear about anxiety all the time. Some recent quotes from our Millennial clients about their anxiety are:
“I feel like I can never get ahead at work. I feel like I’m always treated like ‘the kid’ and some older workers that could retire aren’t, so there’s no where to move up my company’s ladder”
“It’s so hard to find a partner. I want to date but dating apps make me feel so inadequate and there’s constant rejection and just shallow conversation. I don’t really know how else to meet people.”
“I’m trying to get my footing in the world, but my parents are having some health problems and need lots of help. I feel pressured to move back home to be close to them, but that’s not where I really want to be.”
So, how do Millennials tend to manage stress and anxiety?
They Talk Openly About It
Compared to older generations, Millennials (and younger) tend to not carry a big stigma around mental health issues, including anxiety. As a result, they are much more likely to open up about their own stresses and anxieties with friend, family, and even online communities. It’s relatively easy for this age group to find peers or role models that talk about these issues without shame or embarrassment, and that’s a great trend for everyone’s mental health.
They Seek Professional Help
Millennials are much more likely than older generations to seek out professional help for mental health issues. Because of the reduced stigma and easier access to Therapists, Doctors, and Psychiatrists, Millennials know where to turn to for help and can find professionals in their area. Therapy used to be something you could only find in large cities, and usually there were only a handful of Therapists or Psychiatrists that worked outside hospitals and institutions. Not any more. Therapists are in every community and are easy to get in to see. Millennials know when to call in the big guns when it comes to their own well-being.
They Focus on Overall Health and Wellness
In a really positive trend, Millennials seem to be overall healthier than previous generations. They are focused on wellness in general; in mind, body and spirit. Millennials embrace healthy eating, yoga and exercise, and seek ways to cultivate their spiritual well-being. Unhealthy behaviors like smoking and drinking are at record lows among young people. Millennials are the age group most interested in fresh and healthy foods. All of this adds up to a lifestyle that combats stress and anxiety. Often in counseling and therapy we touch on lifestyle changes like these to improve mental health in general, and specifically target anxiety.