PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The McKinsey Health Institute released a study in April that surveyed people from several generations about the four dimensions of health: mental, physical, social and spiritual. According to the study, Gen Zers had the most challenges in all categories.
The study also found that Gen Zers are more likely to cite negative feelings about social media than other generations, with a higher portion of female respondents claiming it gave them lower self-confidence and poor views of body image.
LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE OF IN DEPTH
But is social media all that bad? Or does Gen Z just feel more comfortable talking about their emotions? It could be both.
An estimated 87% of Gen Zers feel comfortable talking about mental health in general, and 63% feel comfortable opening up about their own mental health struggles, according to Charlie Health.
As a Gen Zer herself, Alyssa Yiaski, a master’s student of psychology at Gwynedd Mercy University, thinks her generation is more open to talking about mental health online.
“Whether they get a response or not,” she said, “just unloading everything on social media or just onto somebody is how they let that out.”
In the latest episode of KYW Newsradio In Depth, Yaski explains why Gen Z is so open to talking about mental health and the role social media plays as a whole.
Listen to the full conversation in the player below, on the Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts.