From generation to generation, it has been noted that mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety exceptionally impact the youth. Yet, the current 8-23 year-olds (Gen-Z) seem to be struggling more than previous generations, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Countless studies have reported the extent to which the mental health of teenagers and young adults over recent generations is deteriorating. For example, the one-year prevalence (the number of people diagnosed in a given year) of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) rose by 3.73% between 1991-1992 and 2001-2002 (3), and young adults in 2007 were five times more likely to receive a psychopathological score on a clinical depression scale than those in 1938 (9). This increase in psychopathology has profound implications: the suicide rate in the USA grew substantially between 1999 and 2014, with ages 10-14 showing the greatest percentage increase amongst females, and second greatest amongst males (4). Gen-Z seems to reflect these statistics; only 45% of individuals in this generation say that they have good mental health, compared to 56% of millennials (7).
So, what is causing this rapid deterioration in the youth's mental wellbeing? Why is Gen-Z sad? It is easy to blame the rise of technology, as this is the only generation to have grown up in such a high-tech world. Yet, it is not necessarily Gen-Z's use of technology that has resulted in increased levels of psychopathology; rather it is what the time they spend doing so means in terms of other aspects of their lives. Gen-Z has been shown to spend significantly less time with their friends, with the number of teens who see their peers everyday dropping by 40% between 2000 and 2015 (8), and have been called "the loneliest generation" (7). Loneliness is also exacerbated by social media, as one becomes painfully aware of the gatherings they have not been invited to (8), which demonstrates why technology likely has a detrimental impact on today's teens. Gen-Z's sleep patterns are also affected by technology, with those who spend 3+ hours a day using technology being 28% more likely to get less than the recommended hours of sleep (8). Insomnia has been shown to increase the risk of depression, with participants who reported a history of insomnia in a 1989 study being four times more likely to develop MDD in the following three years, a phenomenon that has also been demonstrated in other research (6). Thus, a potential reason for the rise in MDD rates amongst Gen-Z is their substantial use of technology.
Nonetheless, technology is not the only reason for this generational decline in mental health. Gen-Z has been shown to be significantly more impacted by the current state of the world than older generations. In the USA, 75% of Gen-Z reported that gun violence is a significant source of stress (compared to 73% of millennials and 58% of Generation X), 57% believed that the separation and deportation of immigrant families was a substantial source of stress (compared to 45% of adults overall), and 58% (compared to 51% of adults overall) reported being significantly stressed about climate change (5). These uncontrollable sources of anxiety can have a significant detrimental neurological impact on this generation. When experiencing stress, the amygdala sets the fight or flight response into motion, which causes the release of cortisol. When under chronic stress, the production of this chemical is higher than the amount that the body is able to release, and a buildup of cortisol can cause neurodegeneration in areas of the brain that are associated with MDD, such as the prefrontal cortex (1). Thus, experiencing higher stress levels is a likely reason for the increase in the rates of depression in Gen-Z. Stress also likely affects the current youth more than older generations because their brains are still maturing and have not yet developed effective coping strategies (5).
It is therefore clear that the increase in the prevalence of psychological disorders can be attributed to the increased use of technology, and higher levels of stress, but what does this mean in terms of the future of today's youth? Three-quarters of adults with mental health issues first noticed symptoms before the age of 18 (2), so the fact that Gen-Z is showing such significant mental health issues is a bad sign for their mental health as adults. The present pandemic is also likely to affect them much more deeply than it does the older generations. It is therefore crucial that parents and teachers are made aware of the state of their children, keep an eye out for symptoms, and encourage open conversations about mental health. Gen-Z should also be made aware of the potential causes for their distress and should try to implement healthy coping mechanisms such as exercise and limited social media use. Gen-Z is not a hopeless generation, much to the contrary. Their openness to the conversation about mental health (2) demonstrates their resilience and strength, and now they simply need to be given safe spaces where they can express themselves and ask for help.
References
1. Bernstein, R. (2016, July 26). The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Af ects the Brain. Touro University Worldwide.
https://www.tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/#:~:text=It%20can%20disrupt%20synap se%20regulation,responsible%20for%20memory%20and%20learning
2. Chandler-Wilde, H. (2020, August 6). The future of Gen Z’s mental health: How to fix the ‘unhappiest generation ever’. The Telegraph.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/mind/future-gen-zs-mental-health-fix-unhappiest-gene ration-ever/
3. Compton, W. M., Conway, K. P., Stinson, F. S., & Grant, B. F. (2006). Changes in the prevalence of major depression and comorbid substance use disorders in the United States between 1991-1992 and 2001-2002. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(12), 2141-2147.
10.1176/ajp.2006.163.12.2141
4. Curtin, S. C., Warner, M., & Hedegaard, H. (2016, April). Increase in Suicide in the United States, 1999–2014. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db241.htm
5. Diaz, A. (2018, October 30). Generation Z reported the most mental health problems, and gun violence is the biggest stressor. CNN Health.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/30/health/generation-z-stress-report-trnd/index.html
6. Sleep and mental health. (2009, July). Harvard Medical Publishing.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health#:~:text=Longitudinal %20studies%20suggest%20that%20insomnia,Anxiety%20disorders
7. Stress, mental health, and Generation Z. (2019, June 6). Western Governors University. https://www.wgu.edu/blog/stress-mental-health-generation-z1906.html
8. Twenge, J. M. (2017, September). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
9. Twenge, J. M., Gentile, B., DeWall, C. N., Ma, D., Lacefield, K., & Schurtz, D. R. (2010). Birth cohort increases in psychopathology among young Americans, 1938-2007: A cross-temporal meta-analysis of the MMPI. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(2), 145-154.10.1016/j.cpr.2009.10.005
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