For Generation Z, mental health isn’t a passing trend - it's a daily struggle. According to a McKinsey survey, Gen Zers report higher levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress than any other age group, with one in four feeling significantly emotionally distressed. Nearly 47% aged 12–26 report feeling anxious "often or always", and 70% regularly experience stress and anxiety.

Online life has a double-edged impact: social media helps normalize mental health conversations but also intensifies comparison, cyberbullying, and fear of missing out. Over 50% of Gen Z say social media negatively affects their mental health .

COVID‑19 further deepened the crisis: one CDC study found that over 70% of Gen Z adults (18–23) reported symptoms of depression during the pandemic. The combination of loneliness, academic/work pressure, economic uncertainty, and climate anxiety continues to weigh heavily on this generation.

Addressing Gen Z’s mental health requires more than awareness - it demands structural support, including timely access to therapy, better workplace flexibility, and stronger social safety nets. Because for them, mental health isn't a phase - it’s a long-term fight.