The kids aren’t alright. That’s the takeaway from a survey of more than 1,000 Generation Z young adults that was conducted by Harmony Healthcare IT: 42% of those polled say they have a diagnosed mental health condition.
The poll revealed that the onset of the COVID pandemic took an emotional toll on likely millions of younger people, who have been diagnosed as being depressed, suffering from anxiety and even having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of the pandemic. Loneliness and uncertainty about the future were also major concerns after the height of the social distancing days.
In fact, 3/4 of the Americans polled say their mental health was negatively affected by the COVID pandemic, and one in five young adults said they’re seeing a therapist, according to the poll. Gen Zers are also twice as likely as millennials and those in Gen X to say they’re struggling with daily “emotional distress issues,” the poll revealed.
Eight in 10 Gen Zers polled say they suffer from daily bouts of severe depression.
That said, 79% percent of those polled in that demographic — more than any other age group, by far — say they and their contemporaries are more comfortable discussing their mental health struggles.
Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.