Lonely, Loud, and Trying: Mental Health and the Gen Z Reality

I never thought relating to a whole cohort would become integral to my life. Up until a few years ago, who even cared about generational divides—beyond the occasional “Ok Boomer” meme or a Buzzfeed quiz that told you whether you were more Gen X or Gen Z based on your coffee order?

Things were easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy… until Gen Z walked into offices and claimed desks.

And lo and behold—it felt like everyone’s bad dream come true.

Social media gave cheeky commentary to the unfolding drama. Sassy email sign-offs (“Please hesitate to reach out”), unapologetic boundaries drawn with Millennial colleagues, and, surprisingly, some wholesome cross-generational friendships (I can vouch—I love my Millennial friends).

But while Gen Z stirred the pot, we’ve also been on the receiving end of many spoons.

We’ve caused a few crashes, sure. But somehow, the blame always circles back to us. As if we’re an inevitable glitch. We may appear vibrant, social, plugged-in… but the irony? We’re lonely. Misunderstood. Quietly suffering.

Finding solace in bottles, hiding handwritten truths in journals buried under curated chaos, making jokes a la Chandler Bing, burying ourselves in bottomless to-do lists, or wandering cities looking for something that finally makes sense.

I find myself at a strange crossroads—a limbo I’m not crossing all that well. There was a time I felt prodigious, precocious, even precious.

Now? Insignificant. Insufferable. Maybe even… invisible.

And I never thought much of it—until I was told that everything I did, or didn’t do, was simply “because you’re Gen Z.” A generation supposedly allergic to seriousness, accountability, or apologies.

And just like that, we’re closer to 30 than 20—an age our parents were already labelled “well-settled.” Adults. Providers. Married, maybe twice over. But us? We’re still learning how to walk on a ground that keeps shifting. 

Is it because we’re more aware?
Because we carry too many truths at once?
Because we grew up with connection and overstimulation in equal measure?
Because we were told to speak up—and then punished for being too loud?

It’s a strange kind of erasure—to have your collapse expected. To hear your failure brushed off with, “Well, what can you expect? She’s Gen Z.” As if we’re not good for anything but memes, irony, and burnout.

This write-up stirred emotions that can only be described in this verse- I have seen a thousand things/ A thousand minds and what they bring/ To this world and to this home/ But where I stand, well, I don't know (Where I Stand, Mia Wray)

An article in today’s Mid-day was about how this very generation is now spiralling into social anxiety. And sure, it earns a few eye-rolls—one more thing they’re complaining about.

But here’s the data: 

• 47% of us report feeling anxious often. 
• 22% feel depressed. 
• Half are burnt out at work. 
• Especially in India, Gen Z carries the quiet weight of expectations, filtered feeds, and exam hall silences. 
• Over 50% of Indian youth aged 18–24 report struggling with mental health post-pandemic. 
• In cities like Kota, academic stress has led to alarming student suicides. 
• One in three Gen Z users face anxiety linked to social media. 

And yet, so much of this ache goes unseen. Loneliness hides behind streaks, and breakdowns get brushed off as “just a phase.” Maybe that’s the real sting—being constantly connected, yet deeply unheard. Yet we don’t always ask for help. Why? Too expensive. Too judged. Too complicated. Social media gives the illusion of connection, but it leaves us lonelier.

And I wonder… what part of them is still waiting for someone to notice?

We know too much. Feel too much. And still, aren’t seen enough.
Maybe what Gen Z really needs… is to be heard without having to explain.

And no, I’m not blind to the wounds that came before us—
The quiet resignation of Boomers. The hustle hangover of Millennials. The looming uncertainty Alphas and Betas will inherit.

I’m simply trying to name something here. To shed light on the invisible—folded between algorithms and applause, between performance and panic, between relevance and ridicule.

Still showing up. Still trying. Still walking—even if we’re learning to do it all over again.

I don’t know who’s reading this, but I’d never chalk someone’s suffering up to “just being a Boomer,”
Nor reduce the millennial overwhelm to a cliché of exaggerated sacrifice.

Because our stories? They’re interwoven. We’re all guilty—of turning blind eyes, oversharing uninvited, slacking when we could show up. None of it can be boxed into generational divides.

In a time when diversity should unite, it too often divides. And maybe, just maybe, what we need is an act of kindness. 

Sometimes, that looks like listening.
Sometimes, staying consciously quiet.
Sometimes, just not giving someone another insecurity to spiral into.

So, reader,
No matter your age, race, gender, or whatever metric the world wants to measure and divide you and me by—
Ask yourself this:

Will it help your and my well-being?

Spoiler alert:
It won't. :)

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Sources & Further Reading

• Gallup (2023): 47% of Gen Z often feel anxious, and 22% feel depressed.

• Deloitte (2024): Half of Gen Z employees report feeling burned out at work.

• Mid-Day (2025): Rise in social anxiety among urban Indian youth post-pandemic.

• Annie E. Casey Foundation (2023): Gen Z's mental health challenges are complex and under-addressed.

• Think Global Health (2023): Economic stress and climate anxiety are shaping Gen Z’s emotional landscape.

• New York Post (2023): Gen Z reluctant to seek therapy due to stigma and cost.

• Ahmedabad Study (2024): High screen time linked to increased anxiety among Gen Z in India.

• CPSICON Conference (2024): 60% of Gen Z in Indian metros reported anxiety due to digital overload.

• IJIP (2024): Positive correlation between screen time and anxiety among Gen Z.