How old were you when you had your first panic attack? I remember mine quite vividly — I was 10 years old and about to graduate elementary school. It started as a persistent uneasy feeling. I tried to ignore it, but after a few weeks, I started to experience physical symptoms like shallow breathing and difficulty swallowing.
I immediately thought the worst and convinced myself something was very wrong with me and that I would never recover.
Dramatic, I know.
Finally, I worked up the courage to talk to my parents about what I was going through. They quickly figured out that my symptoms were being caused by anxiety and decided to send me to a therapist to figure out why.
It took a few sessions (and a couple hundred dollars), but together we found the root of my anxiety. Who knew moving on to middle school could be so stressful?
After having this breakthrough I thought I would be all set and my anxiety could be cured. I was so hopeful, so naïve. Little did I know how traumatic adjusting to high school and college would be for me.
Over the years I’ve tried many different types of therapy and found that cognitive-behavioral therapy and de-sensitizing work the best for me because a lot of my anxiety and panic stems from overthinking.
Not a complete shock, considering I’m a textbook Virgo. I’m also on the Millennial/Gen Z cusp, which means I’m ambitious and trying to find my own identity and purpose in life, all while focusing on setting myself up for stability and future success. But there’s nothing to worry about, right?!
My own struggles with anxiety reflect a lot of what’s going on with GenZ.
Aside from wanting to make ourselves happy, our generation is also faced with the need to make everyone around us just as happy. Our parent’s generation opened doors for us to have freedom of choice and endless opportunities, but sometimes those choices feel like burdens. How are we supposed to know which path is best for us? And even after we make decisions, we question them. We find ourselves filled with self-doubt as we wonder if we did the right thing.
That’s where therapy and self-care come in.
We are lucky enough to live in a time where there is widespread support for mental wellness and people are encouraged to try new forms of therapy outside of a psychiatrist’s office.
GenZ is more stressed than just about every other generation. From personal debt to housing instability to gun violence to climate change — we’ve got a lot on our minds.
To escape this stress, many young people are turning to art therapy because it allows them to explore the creative process and to express their individuality. Art therapy can be used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience and advance societal and sociological change. Sometimes it’s hard to articulate yourself when you’re sitting face-to-face with a therapist. Art therapy alleviates that pressure and gives you the freedom to express yourself visually.
Another way our generation expresses itself is through music therapy. According to a 2019 Spotify trend report, 50% of Millennials and Gen Z-ers find camaraderie in sharing our emotions, and we often use music as a way to express our feelings. Music therapy allows overall mental rehabilitation and emotional support when we hear lyrics that we can relate to and make us feel less alone.
I can attest to the power of music therapy as an outlet to express emotions. You can tell a lot about my mood by scrolling through my recently added songs, and I’m not the only one. Spotify’s 2018 holiday ads leaned heavily on users who express their feelings through music, such as the one person that played “Sorry” by Justin Bieber 42 times on Valentine’s Day and the 46 unconventional people that added “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan to their gym playlists.
Speaking of the gym, a 2019 study done by YPulse showed that almost six in ten 13-36 year-olds say that exercise is very effective at treating anxiety. In the same study, 92% of those surveyed said that they work out just as much for their mental health as their physical health.
As someone that suffers from both anxiety and depression, I’ve found the combination of medicine and exercise to be a very successful mood booster after a long day in the office.
I use traveling as my form of self-care by putting money aside to go on an international trip at least once a year. By experiencing different cultures and taking the time to experience the beauty the world has to offer, I can ground myself and remember that there is more to life than my mundane routine of work, sleep, and repeat.
While exploring alternatives to traditional therapy that are best for you, it’s important to consider what you value and not compare yourself to what others are doing.
Our generation is very supportive of finding different ways to express individuality and looking for new forms of self-care. We need to continue having these open conversations and encouraging others to share their experiences until we overcome the stigma.
