Almost 30% of Gen Zs Affected by Anxiety

Anxiety; it may be a word offhandedly used in your daily vocabulary, but the reality is that anxiety is actually a crippling disease affecting an unprecedented amount of Australian women.

Instead of dismissing anxious feelings as normal, more awareness needs to be raised about the silent epidemic, and a study has found that it’s the young ones who are suffering most.

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A new study released today conducted by Medibank involved approximately 1000 Australians who were interviewed weekly since 2007. It has found that Gen Z’s are the most likely to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks of all generations, at 31.7%, 23.9% and 8.4% respectively. This compares to the national averages of 25.6% for stress, 17.3% for anxiety and 5% for panic attacks.

Dr Linda Swan tells Women’s Health that anxiety can be triggered by different situations.

"Whilst it's different for everyone, these mental health conditions are commonly precipitated by stressful and continuing life events, such as changes in living, job or school arrangements or relationships."

"But more so today, we are seeing an emergence of other triggers like social networking expectations, cyber bullying, unrealistic body perceptions and uncertainty around career options."

But it’s not just unsettling home and work situations that can upset the balance of your mental health, your food and diet can come into play too.

“Physical illness and diet can often compound these situations as well. As these mental health conditions can often be caused by a number of different factors, the most important thing is to recognise the symptoms and seek support early,” she says.

Symptoms of Anxiety
Hot and cold flushes
Racing heart
Tightening of the chest
Snowballing worries
Obsessive think and compulsive behaviour

If you have a number of the above symptoms and/or feel like you need help, or know someone who does, you can contact Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 or visit the website.