#28 Generation Anxious: Why Young People Are Struggling and How We Can Fix It?

Anxiety rates in young people have doubled in the last decade. Globally. This is not a phase. It’s a crisis we must deal with.

Feb 13, 2025

👋 Hey! We’re Alex & Marc, two longtime friends and curious minds.

Welcome to 3x, a publication about living a meaningful life. We explore ideas that help us live wiser, freer and more intentional lives.

Join 3,000+ weekly readers growing a life with more clarity and depth, one post at a time.

Anxiety Is the New Normal

Anxiety is the uneasy feeling that something bad might happen, even when there’s no immediate danger. Unlike fear, which reacts to real threats, anxiety feeds on uncertainty.

And today, that’s the default state for an entire generation.

Over the last two decades, anxiety has skyrocketed, especially among the young. In the U.S., adolescent anxiety has doubled since 2008. In the UK, it’s tripled among 16- to 24-year-olds in the past decade. Australia reports 40% of young people regularly experience anxiety—up from 18% in the early 2000s.

This isn’t a phase. It’s a crisis.

Why Are We So Anxious?

1. Always On

Phones were meant to connect us, but they’ve wired us for anxiety. The average teen spends 7 hours a day glued to their screen, bombarded by endless comparisons and digital noise. Notifications and likes trigger fleeting highs—but the constant pressure to perform and compare leaves young people stressed and exhausted.

Studies show teens spending over three hours daily on social media are twice as likely to develop anxiety.

Our brains weren’t built to handle this. But there’s no off switch.

2. Imperfect

Perfectionism is suffocating young people. Social media isn’t just a platform—it’s a stage where every part of life is scrutinized and judged. The pressure to be flawless is relentless, and when reality doesn’t match the filtered image, anxiety takes over.

Perfectionism among young people has jumped 33% since the 1980s. Constant comparison, fear of failure, and the demand to be “perfect” in every aspect of life has created a generation in a permanent state of stress.

3. Alone

Loneliness isn’t just for the elderly. Young people today are the loneliest generation ever. In the UK, 1 in 4 young adults feels isolated, and even in socially progressive countries like Sweden, youth loneliness has doubled in the past decade.

We’re social creatures. But with face-to-face connections replaced by digital interactions, young people are left navigating life alone. The result? A crushing sense of isolation fueling a mental health crisis.

4. Broke

Young people aren’t just anxious about money—they’re being crushed by an economy rigged against them. Housing is unaffordable, jobs are insecure, and the cost of living keeps climbing.

Across the world, older generations are getting richer while the young fall behind. In the U.S., baby boomers held 21% of national wealth when they were under 40. Millennials at the same age hold just 5%. This isn’t unique. Globally, wealth is shifting upwards while young people face stagnant wages and rising costs. Policies favor older generations—ballooning pensions, property tax breaks, and increasing taxes on younger workers.

The message is clear: the young are paying for the comfort of the old. And it’s driving them to the brink.

What Can We Do About It?

This isn’t about telling young people to “chill out.” It’s about fixing a broken system that’s pushing them over the edge. Here’s how we start:

1. Take Control of Tech

Phones are wrecking mental health. France banned them in schools for kids under 15—and anxiety levels dropped. We need to go further. Ban smartphones for kids under 16, create screen-free schools, and regulate social media algorithms targeting minors.

The tech industry profits from anxiety. It’s time to push back.

2. Rebuild Real-World Connections

Loneliness is an epidemic. Finland cut youth anxiety by 20% with simple community programs.

Governments should fund youth centers, subsidize community events, and make face-to-face interaction part of school curriculums.

It’s time to reconnect offline.

3. Teach Mental Health in Schools

We teach algebra but ignore emotional resilience. Make mental health education mandatory in schools. Teach stress management, emotional regulation, and mindfulness.

Schools should be preparing kids for life—not just exams.

4. Stop Squeezing the Young

Older generations are hoarding wealth while the young foot the bill. It’s time to reverse that.

Here are some examples:

Offer targeted tax breaks for young workers and expand subsidies for first-time homebuyers under 35, similar to Canada's First-Time Home Buyer Incentive.
Adjust pension growth to reflect economic conditions, ensuring sustainability without burdening younger taxpayers.
Raise income tax thresholds for young earners and increase investments in affordable housing initiatives, as seen in Germany’s social housing programs.

If the young don’t thrive, no one will—because without them, who pays the pensions?

No Wonder They’re Anxious

Young people are drowning in debt, locked out of housing, scrambling for stable jobs, and suffocating under impossible expectations. Even finding love has become harder, with dating apps turning relationships into a numbers game.

We’ve handed them a world that’s more connected but lonelier, richer but less accessible, more advanced but less secure.

Anxiety isn’t a personal failing—it’s a logical reaction to a rigged system.

It’s time to stop blaming young people for being anxious and start fixing the world that’s making them this way.

Because if we don’t, it’s not just a generation we’re losing—it’s the future.

If this resonated with you, hit the ❤️ and leave a comment—it means a lot. And if you know someone who’d appreciate it, share it via email, WhatsApp, or on social media. Good ideas are better when shared.

Subscribe just below to stay in the loop. 👇

Related articles