A Shift in the Crisis: Young Adults Now Report Highest Levels of Mental Distress
For decades, the “midlife crisis” was a widely recognized phenomenon. However, new research published in Plos One suggests this pattern has dramatically reversed.Rather of facing peak unhappiness in their 50s and 60s, today’s young adults are reporting the highest levels of mental distress.
the study reveals a notable change in mental health trends,particularly between 2020 and 2025. Historically, middle-aged individuals bore the brunt of stress, depression, and despair.Now, those in their twenties are increasingly struggling with psychological problems.
Data from the United States illustrates this shift starkly. The percentage of young people (under 25) experiencing serious mental health issues climbed from 2.9% in 1993 to 8% in 2023. This isn’t an isolated case; similar trends are observed in the United Kingdom, where the proportion of young men with poor mental health doubled between 2009 and 2021. Young women experienced an even more substantial increase, rising from 4.4% to 12.7% over the same period. A particularly sharp rise in these figures began after 2016.This concerning trend extends beyond these two nations. Across 44 countries studied – from nigeria to Australia – young people consistently report higher levels of anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation compared to older generations. Remarkably, psychological wellbeing generally improves with age.
Researchers are exploring several contributing factors to this unsettling reversal. The widespread adoption of smartphones and social media around 2012 appears to coincide with the beginning of this decline in youth mental health. Constant social comparison on these platforms can fuel dissatisfaction, mirroring the negative impact of wage inequality on employee morale.
Moreover, the lingering economic consequences of the 2008 financial crisis might potentially be playing a role. Those entering the workforce during and after the crisis faced stagnant wages and limited career prospects – challenges that can have long-lasting effects.Compounding these issues, manny countries experienced significant cuts to mental healthcare funding following the crisis, leading to longer wait times for treatment and increased suffering.
