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XYZGen Z
Anxious, Stressed and Depressed: Worrying Findings About the Mood of the #GenerationZ. 💭
1 in 3 young people in Ireland describe their generation's mood as anxious.
Research conducted in 2022 by YSI & Amarach Research reveals concerning findings about Generation Z's well-being and mental health in Ireland. We asked 1100 young people aged 16-24 to answer questions about the biggest issues facing them today, future fears and their hopes for the future. Here’s what we found out. ⤵️
💭 Key research findings:
- Anxiety about the future cited as a major issue for 59% of Gen Z
- Anxious (32%), stressed (26%) and depressed (21%) are three most frequent words used to describe the mood of their generation
- Positive mood sentiments are rock bottom with only 7% feeling motivated and 5% feeling enthusiastic
- Climate change is major concern for 78%
119% increase in anxiety among #GenZ 📈
Mental health is a topic that #GenerationZ does not ignore and is not afraid to talk about. Anxiety and depression have been reported to be the biggest issues facing young people living in Ireland today.
Cost of Living & Climate Change: The Biggest Worry for the Future 😟
59% of the respondents reported that they feel fearful about the future. The main reasons? Cost of living and climate change. With ongoing Ireland’s housing crisis and the lack of action from the government in terms of the climate crisis, Generation Z does not have many reasons to be positive about what’s to come.
💭 As Dr. Nolan Colman sums it up 💭
Young people in Ireland have spent more of their lives in unprecedented times than precedented times over the last number of years and this is reflected in the findings. The research findings highlight how we need to invest in giving our young people a sense of hope for the future, not fear of it and provide them with a voice that can be heard and listened to, as this research suggests a degree of powerlessness in this generation in terms of being agents of change.
There Are Good News, Too 🙌
On a slightly more positive note, the report shows that issues related to drug and alcohol abuse, and cyberbullying scored lower on the list of concerns for young people in Ireland. Drug and alcohol issues dropped from 48% in 2019 to 33% at the end of 2021. At the same time, cyberbullying concerns dropped by 50% in the same time period.
What is the Solution?
As digital natives, Generation Z has constant and neverending access to information from all over the world. As beneficial as it is, having this access means that young people are exposed to stressful and anxiety-inducing news, which has a real impact on the generation’s well-being. When mixed with the current situation in the world, and young people’s lack of hope for the future, there is only one solution to this problem:
📢 We need to listen to young people and let them speak up. 📢
Recent research coordinated by Irish Research Scholar, Andrea Maynard, evidences the fact that engaging young people in social innovation activates youth voice and provides ways to increase their experience of well-being.
Empowering and engaging the young people of Ireland and giving them a platform to have a strong voice on the issues directly impacting them is no longer a nice to have. It is our duty to this generation.
