According to a recent study the Generation now know as the Millennials are the most anxious in modern history. Now with all studies there can be much debate, so I will not defend the results. However , I will support the general conclusion. Individuals in their early 30’s all the way to the teens currently are among this group. This generation is growing up in the techno age. This age has its positives and negatives. But for my purposes I will focus on the negative effects that I believe have contributed to the high incidents of anxiety in the Millennials.
First is the need to be connected. This group is always reaching out and being reached by others. This creates increased sensory stimulus. The senses can’t tell the difference between stimulus that requires fight, flight, or freeze response or just plan data. The primitive brain goes on high alert. This pumps out chemicals that prepare the individual to deal with the situation. But wait there is no situation. Anxiety then happen under the surface influencing the individual in ways they may not even realize. This creates an assortment of problems. Digestive issues, eating issues, pain and fatigue just to name a few. Individuals need to be “off” some to relax and feel safe. The techno age makes this increasingly difficult.
Second reason falls on lack of appropriate social interaction. The Millennials text and tweet, and rarely talk to each other. And Face to Face time is way down. Eye contact is becoming a lost art to the Millennials. Humans communicate the most effectively face to face. The worst form is written. The irony that I am writing this does not escape me either. Without proper communication many Millennials misunderstand each other causing stress in their relationships with each other. This of course leads to more anxiety. The lost art of appropriate social interactions are causing them difficulties face to face, because they have far less practice with this skill than previous generations.
Third reason is a lack of understanding how to decrease anxiety. Coping strategies like meditation and exercise are not understood and utilized. Talking with others to decrease anxiety is also still a problem because of the poor social skills. Classes in Yoga and Meditation are popping up out of necessity. And of course preventing the triggers to anxiety all together escapes them.
Until the Millennials learn how to navigate the techno age effectively they will be destined to have increasing levels of anxiety. This is a much more serious issue than we might realize. Issues with Health and productivity will increase. The potential for violence increases as anxiety often lead to an aggressive response to the heightened fear state. I suggest we all take breaks from technology and relax. Spend some time actually talking face to face without interruptions. Your health and generally well-being is at stake.
Jeff Fry LCSW