If you’re Gen Z and constantly feeling anxious, you’re definitely not alone. Anxiety feels like an unwanted companion that’s always lurking—even when you’re just trying to chill.
According to the American Psychological Association’s 2018 survey, Gen Z reported the highest levels of stress and anxiety compared to other generations. But why? Why is the generation with the most advanced technology, the most mental health awareness, and the easiest access to information… also the most anxious?
The answer isn’t simple.
Gen Z Growing Up in Crisis Mode
Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—grew up during some of the most unstable periods in recent history. We witnessed the 2008 economic crash, a global pandemic, the worsening climate crisis, and near-constant political chaos. Basically, we grew up watching the world burn—literally and figuratively.
So it’s no surprise that future-related anxiety is real. Climate change feels existential. Student debt and rising living costs feel suffocating. Even the idea of owning a home sounds like a fantasy to many young people.
Social Media & FOMO
We’re the generation that doesn’t remember life before the internet. Born with smartphones in hand, our lives are constantly flooded with likes, views, and endless notifications. But this hyper-connection hasn’t exactly calmed us down.
FOMO—Fear of Missing Out—is a chronic Gen Z condition. Scrolling through Instagram or TikTok means being bombarded by curated, “perfect” lives—luxury vacations, dream jobs, flawless skin. Even though we know it’s all filtered, it still sparks that sneaky feeling of not being enough.
Social media gives the illusion of connection, but in reality, many of us feel lonelier than ever. We might have hundreds of followers, but no one to call when we’re falling apart at 2 AM.
The Pressure to Be Everything
There’s this unspoken rule that you’re supposed to “make it” before 25. Be successful. Have a side hustle. Look good. Be cool on LinkedIn, funny on Twitter, aesthetic on Instagram. The pressure comes from everywhere—family, friends, the internet, and worst of all, ourselves.
Even school feels like a race. High school students are building portfolios like they’re applying for jobs at Google. Instead of resting or figuring out who they are, they’re competing non-stop just to stay in the game.
The result? Burnout before we’ve even started living.
A Future That Feels Out of Reach
Many Gen Zs are asking: “What’s the point of trying so hard if the world’s literally falling apart?”
From environmental collapse to economic instability, the future feels impossible to plan for. Life starts to feel like a treadmill that keeps speeding up—and no one knows where the finish line is.
Still, here’s the good news: you’re not broken. Anxiety isn’t weakness. It’s a natural response to a world that constantly demands too much and gives us very little room to breathe.
Turning off notifications, limiting screen time, or just opening up to someone you trust can be a good first step. Therapy isn’t just for people who are “really struggling”—sometimes it’s just about creating space to make sense of the chaos in your head.
We might be the most anxious generation, but we’re also the most self-aware. And maybe, just maybe, that awareness is what will help us build something better—for ourselves, and for the future.