Most of the young Americans affected by COVID-19 negatively on their mental health

About 70% of Gen Z born between 1997 and 2012 said their mental health was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also found that 42 percent of adult Gen Z members had a mental health diagnosis.

According to the American Christian Post (CP), data management company “Harmony Healthcare IT” conducted a survey of 1,055 Gen Z members aged 18 to 24 in September last year, publishing a report.

The study included 47% of males, 45% of females, 6% of individuals identified as non-binary and 2% of individuals identified as trans.

According to the report, about 57% of Gen Z adults with mental health problems take medications to relieve their condition and pay an average of $ 44 per month. 90% and 78% of respondents said they suffer from anxiety and depression, respectively.

Additionally, 27% of respondents had ADHD, 20% PTSD, 17% OCD, 14% eating disorder, 12% insomnia, and less than 10% had bipolar disorder, addiction and substance abuse, and borderline were diagnosed with personality disorder. .

One in five reported having mental health treatment and spending an average of $ 149 per month, of which 87% find it useful.

“About one-third (31%) of Gen Z misjudge their overall mental health in 2022,” the researchers said. When asked about their mental health over the course of a month, 1 in 4 said they had more bad days than good. On average, Generation Z said they struggled with mental health for about 10 days a month. “

87% of Generation Z residents said they generally feel comfortable talking about their mental health with others, and 63% said they feel comfortable talking about their mental health problems with others.

They also said they were more comfortable discussing mental health with friends, siblings, and parents, and they were no longer comfortable discussing mental health with their boss, strangers, and grandparents.

“More than half (52%) of respondents said they were uncomfortable discussing their mental health with their boss,” the report said. “More than 1 in 10 Gen Z said they talked to their boss, 91% support it, but 9% don’t.”

“Gen Z is definitely taking care of their mental health at work,” the researchers said.

In fact, more than 3 in 5 (62%) took days off for mental health reasons at school or at work. In the first eight months of 2022, Gen Z took an average of three days to recover from mental health.

According to the report, Gen Z members spend an average of four hours a day on social media, most notably YouTube, and many have said that their poor mental health is linked to social media.

More than half of respondents (57%) said they should take a break from social media for their mental health, and 36% said they have eliminated social media to protect their mental health.

Regarding concerns for the future, the majority replied how uncomfortable they felt, especially with regards to finances.

“Gen Z are worried about the future,” the report said. Almost 90% of Gen Z do not think their generation is destined for success and 75% feel at a disadvantage compared to others. “

“Some of the biggest concerns have to do with finances and jobs. More than three in five (66%) said they were not financially secure and 50% said they were not ready to go to work. Overall, 89% of Gen Z are worried about their personal finances and 70% are worried about the economy. “

Dr. Roger McIntyre, now a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto and head of the psychopharmacology department for mood disorders, warned in a previous interview with CP that “a mental health epidemic could explode in the United States. if you don’t take precautions. ” .

Nearly 1 in 5 adults in the United States had a mental health disorder in 2018, according to Express Scripts, the largest national pharmacy benefits management organization, and the rate of psychological disorders among young people has increased dramatically over the past decade. .

From 2008 to 2018, the overall prevalence of mental illness increased by 8%, from 177 to 191 per 1,000 people, and the number of potentially disabling mental disorders increased by 24%, from 37 to 46 per 1,000 people.

Mental health was also the most expensive during this period, with losses of over $ 193 billion annually. Mental health problems have been identified as the most common cause of hospitalization for people under the age of 45. About 13% of psychiatric hospital discharges were readmitted within one month of discharge.

“Mental health conditions not only affect a person psychologically, but also negatively affect physical health,” said the researchers. People with mental health problems have an increased risk of contracting a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, “he said.