Generation Z (Gen Z, born roughly 1997-2012) experiences significantly higher rates of depression and mental health challenges, reporting higher stress, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness compared to older generations, often linked to social media, economic pressures, and global events, though Gen X also sees rising rates into adulthood.
Gen Z are more depressed and isolated than their coworkers—and feel less successful than other generations did at their age, according to new report. A survey from MetLife paints a picture of Gen Z as disconnected, stressed, and isolated—and a generation that feels less successful than their peers.
Across much of the world, it is no longer middle-aged adults who are the most miserable. Instead, young people, especially Gen Z, are reporting the highest levels of unhappiness of any age group.
Depression prevalence decreased with increasing age. Overall, prevalence was highest in adolescents ages 12–19 (19.2%) and lowest in adults age 60 and older (8.7%). A similar trend was observed in females, where depression decreased from 26.5% among those ages 12–19 to 10.6% among those age 60 and older.
According to Cigna International Health's 2023 survey of almost 12,000 workers around the world, 91% of 18-to-24-year-olds report being stressed – compared to 84% on average. Research indicates Gen Z are emerging as the most stressed demographic in the workplace, and struggling mightily to cope.
Whilst boomers and millennials may use the 😂 emoji, this has long since been deemed 'uncool' (or 'cheugy') by Gen Z. Instead, this has been replaced by the skull (💀) or the crying emoji (😭), dramatising the idea of 'dying with laughter'.
Age and generation both matter for happiness. As between generations, those born before 1965 (Boomers and their predecessors) have life evaluations about one-quarter of a point higher than those born after 1980 (Millennials and Gen Z).
At What Age Is Depression Most Common? According to CDC data from 2019, 21% of adults experiencing any depressive symptoms in the most recent two weeks were between 18 and 29 years old. This incidence is the largest among all adult age groups.
#1 China: World's Biggest, World's Least Depressed
China is already the world's largest country with well over one billion inhabitants, but with this study, the Asian giant adds another feather to its cap – world's least depressed country.
It's thought that your chance of getting severe depression may be partly affected by the genes you inherit from your parents.
A Breed in Decay: Why U.S. Millennials and Gen Z Are Dying at an Alarming Rate — Faster Than Any Other Generation in Recent History.
Bae – Boyfriend or girlfriend.
There are a lot of different reasons why you might feel like nothing makes you happy. Certain mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD can cause severe feelings of unhappiness, lack of motivation, and disinterest in activities that used to bring joy.
Recent research shows that members of the Baby Boomer generation have worse health than previous generations did at the same ages—diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are more common.
Unhappiness is hill-shaped in age and the average age where the maximum occurs is 49 with or without controls. There is an unhappiness curve. I document hump or hill shapes in age in various measures of unhappiness in many countries including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Strauss and Howe ascribe seven basic traits to the millennial cohort: special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving.
The prevalence of depression was lower among non-Hispanic Asian adults than among any other race and Hispanic-origin group. Overall, non-Hispanic Asian adults had the lowest prevalence of depression (3.1%) compared with Hispanic (8.2%), non-Hispanic white (7.9%), and non-Hispanic black (9.2%) adults.
New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression.
Regular exercise may improve depression or anxiety symptoms enough to make a big difference. That big difference can help kick-start further improvements. The mental health benefits of exercise and physical activity may last only if you stick with them over the long term.
Risk factors
Depression often begins in the teens, 20s or 30s, but it can happen at any age. More women than men are diagnosed with depression, but this may be due in part because women are more likely to seek treatment.
Heritability is probably 40-50%, and might be higher for severe depression. This could mean that in most cases of depression, around 50% of the cause is genetic, and around 50% is unrelated to genes (psychological or physical factors).
There's no single "toughest" generation, as each faces unique struggles, but Generation X (born 1965-1980) is often cited as the most stressed due to balancing work, family, and finances while facing economic uncertainty, yet they also show high resilience, while younger generations like Gen Z grapple with unprecedented housing costs and climate anxiety, making the definition of "tough" subjective and dependent on the specific challenges faced.
Overall, these findings suggest that women are, on average, happier in singlehood than men. Relationship science has predominantly occupied itself with examining the experiences of those whose relationship status is partnered.
Generation Y, commonly known as Millennials, stand out as the most loyal. Almost three in four Gen Y (72%) express their unwavering commitment to remain loyal to an organisation or brand, setting them apart from their generational counterparts (compared to 64% Gen Z, 63% Gen X and 66% Baby Boomers).