Building resilience in your 20s: managing stress and anxiety
Let's be honest. Being a 20 something these days is hard. It’s nothing like what it was when our parents and grandparents were in their 20s. Don’t get me wrong, every generation has had its challenges, but I want to focus on the nuanced challenges 20-somethings face now and moreso, how to overcome them.
First, let’s identify the changes.
You know the saying, “times are changing”. Well, I think it’s more appropriate to officially say “times have changed.” Whether you believe that’s for the better or not, is individualized to each person’s unique circumstances and experiences and ultimately, their interpretation. Some things that aren’t so nuanced now though are how times have changed. See a list below of some of the high points that have changed significantly in the past decade alone.
Technological advancements: According to PewResearch, “As of 2019, nine-in-ten U.S. adults say they go online, 81% say they own a smartphone and 72% say they use social media (Kent, 2024).”
Media consumption: “In 2018, for the first time, social media sites surpassed print newspapers as a news source for Americans (Kent, 2024).”
Racial diversity: “As of fall 2018, children from racial and ethnic minority groups were projected to make up 52.9% of public K-12 students (Kent, 2024).”
Legalization of marijuana: “Two-thirds of U.S. adults now back legalization. As of this year, 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of marijuana for adult recreational use, while many others have legalized it for medical use. The drug remains illegal under federal law (Kent, 2024).”
Same-sex marriage: “As of this year, 61% of Americans favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which established that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry (Kent, 2024).”
There’s more that could be added to the list of course such as climate change, income inequality, inflation, working from home, etc. It’s no wonder that young adults are experiencing a high surge in anxiety and depression as they are simultaneously continuing to undergo brain development while living through such major shifts. Let’s talk about how these changes can present challenging.
Change can be good, but at what cost?
Again, whether how the times have changed is seen as good, bad, or somewhere in between, is individualized to each unique person. However, the research shows that the young adult population seems to be suffering more with mental health than any other generation before them. Based on information gathered by the American Psychology Association and reported from Science Daily,
“Researchers examined survey results from a pool of 200,000 teens and 400,000 adults from the mid-aughts through 2017 and found a 52% increase in depressive symptoms experienced by adolescents in the 12 months prior, and a 63% increase in young adults aged 18 to 25. Notably, the research found “no significant increase in the percentage of older adults experiencing depression...during corresponding time periods (Pennington, 2019).”
A potential variable that could arguably be a contributing factor in the difference of mental health disorders for young adults compared to older generations could be due to the stigma that is often associated with mental disorders. In older generations, it was less common for people to speak about their mental health which could still be a lingering trend today amongst the same generation. Nonetheless, it is difficult to argue against the facts which do show the significant changes that have occurred during critical developmental stages for young people.
After identifying the changes, then speaking to the impact, next it’s best we address some tips for how to manage the stress, anxiety, and depression that comes with it – because…
We can’t always control what happens around us, but we can control how we react to it.
As much as many people like to feel in control, life can get in the way of that. Control can offer a sense of security, but once the facade of being in control is unveiled, it can leave people feeling lost, confused, stuck, anxious, overwhelmed, debilitated, and more. Here are some tips to take into consideration the next time you may start to feel stripped of your sense of security.
Take care of your body. When people experience overwhelming and sometimes persistent uncomfortable feelings, the first reaction tends to be to give in to it and respond accordingly. However, fight the urge to make permanent decisions on temporary emotions. You can do this by doing something that makes you feel good about yourself such as exercising, eating a healthy meal, resting, getting a massage, etc. which in turn begins to subconsciously awaken those more desirable emotions such as empowerment, happiness, relief, etc.
Connect with others. Chances are, you are not as alone as you think or feel. Perfect example, when you type into google search box, it tends to complete your thought before you finish typing. You know why? Because other people have typed the same or similar. It’s very likely someone you know personally can relate. Even if you don’t want to share personal information with friends or family, just being in their vicinity can make all the difference as well.
Avoid substances. Although it is becoming more common and legalized in some parts of the world as we highlighted above, it’s important to avoid using substances as a means to cope with uncomfortable emotions. This can lead to an increase in dependency, creating addiction issues, and ultimately a perpetual cycle of the thing you were trying to avoid. Remember, emotions are temporary, even the most painful ones.
Reframe your perspective. Like I mentioned before, interpretation is individualized and based on many things. Which also suggests that we actually can control how we choose to see things. So before (or after because we are still human after all) you make definite decisions or emotional responses, challenge them. Approach yourself with curiosity and question how you came to the conclusion you did and play out alternatives. See if you continue to feel the same afterwards once reframed.
Try different approaches. Building resilience isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ type of thing. It takes trial and error and personalization to fit you. This list isn’t exhaustive, and we have more tips we can offer. If you feel you are continuously struggling with overwhelming and persistent uncomfortable emotions, it may be time to consider speaking to a professional. Click here to view the bios of the therapists we offer at CoreWellness, LLC or learn more about what we offer.
References:
Kent, D. (2024, April 14). U.S. has changed in key ways in the past decade, from tech use to demographics. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/20/key-ways-us-changed-in-past-decade/
Pennington, M. (2019, December 17). 25 ways America has changed in the last decade. Stacker. https://stacker.com/retrospective/25-ways-america-has-changed-last-decade
