Is Gen Z more mentally ill, or do they just talk about it more?

Highlight of the week: A fellow at Harvard’s Applied Social Media Lab reached out as a fan of Doomscrollers. Stay tuned for future collabs & check out his blog… 👀

Two summers ago, I was in India researching the future of news consumption for work with Northwestern University. We conducted interviews across the north and south with 18 to 25-year-olds from various backgrounds, each lasting over 3 hours. 🕐

During that time, we learned much more about these participants than just their news habits. We heard about their social circles, aspirations, beliefs, and the events that shaped them.

One experience stood out in particular. 

A 19-year-old in Delhi recalled a tumultuous period in her life. A few years earlier, she was struggling with her parents and secretly sought out therapy – something still very taboo (especially among older Indians) – she told us. When she met her therapist, she opened up about the challenges she faced and how it was impacting her mental health. 🧑‍⚕️

The therapist listened before sharing her diagnosis: “You’re fine. What you’re experiencing is normal. Go home, and only come back if it’s still an issue in 3 months.”  

Whoa, I thought. 

I was so used to the rhetoric that everyone’s mental health struggles are serious and should not be challenged. I couldn’t fathom a therapist turning away a patient like that – or at least not in North America.

@matthiasjbarker

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Getting the facts straight on mental health

One of Gen Z’s distinguishing attributes is their obsession with mental health. ❤️‍🩹

Whether you’re an optimist who thinks they’re smashing stigmas or a skeptic who’s concerned we’ve overmedicated an entire generation, we can all agree that Gen Z talks about mental health more. 

But are they actually more mentally ill? 🤔

I went down a rabbit hole to answer this question so you don’t have to. Here’s what I learned:

Insight 1: Gen Z is 2x more likely to report struggling with their mental health and be treated for it than other generations.

More young people say they suffer from anxiety or depression than those who report no mental health struggles – a stark contrast to older generations. 

It’s important to note the question is self-reported and does not ask participants whether a healthcare professional has formally diagnosed them. 

Could this be inflated?