Anxiety Causes in Gen Z: The eyes of the world are currently focused on the youth of Generation Z. Gen Z includes those youth whose age is around 20-25. This generation is the youngest and has the highest expectations from it. However, this time has become quite challenging for the youth of Gen Z and they are facing mental health related problems at an early age. Changing lifestyle, excessive digital exposure, social media culture and increasing career pressure have badly affected the mental health of today’s young generation.
Not only in India, but all over the world, the youth of this generation are facing extreme stress, anxiety and restlessness. The fast paced and uncertain life of the modern era is putting such a burden on the young minds that it is creating many problems. In the year 2023, SRM University of Andhra Pradesh and many other institutions had conducted a study on Gen Z youth of 8 big cities including Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Delhi. 1628 youth were included in this study and the results of this study were very shocking. In this, problems related to mental health of youth came to light.
About 70% of Generation Z youth included in this study had moderate to severe anxiety. About 60% of the youth were found to have depression and more than 70% of the youth were found to have high level distress. These figures show that mental health problems have now become common among the youth. According to this research, there are many scientific and social reasons for increasing anxiety among youth. The biggest reason is the ever-increasing competition, which creates stress at every step, from choosing a career to getting a job. Along with this, career uncertainty, financial pressure and expectations of society and family are increasing anxiety.
Social media has increased the comparison of Generation Z youth with others. Here, seeing every post, like and achievement, the youth underestimate their own capabilities. This inferiority complex, comparison with others and digital fatigue affects mental balance. On the other hand, lack of sleep, irregular routine and decline in physical activity are also scientifically major factors that increase anxiety. The increasing anxiety among youth is not only limited to emotional instability, but it also affects their productivity, relationships, self-confidence and decision-making ability.
Prolonged stress increases a hormone called cortisol, which causes mental fatigue, mood swings, irritability and health problems. Teenagers and young age are emotionally sensitive. In such a situation, long term anxiety can lead to panic attacks in some people. Therefore this problem is not worth ignoring. The study shows that by taking right steps on time, the anxiety of youth can be controlled to a great extent.
Psychological help and counseling help the youth to understand and control their emotions. Regular exercise, yoga and meditation are effective in reducing stress. Limited use of social media reduces mental burden. Adequate sleep and good diet are also helpful in improving mental health. Apart from this, sharing your feelings openly with family and friends also reduces mental pressure. Youth need to understand that anxiety is not a weakness, but is the body’s natural reaction to the pressures of life. Taking help in time and adopting healthy habits can make them mentally strong and stable.
