Generation Y, or millennials, are those people who were born between 1981 – 1996. They are referred to as millennials because they hit adulthood around the millennium. The people from this age group are reporting to have more mental burnout than any other age group right now. In fact, the notion of millennials being mentally tired and exhausted isn’t something new.
However, the alarming point is that the stress keeps increasing instead of decreasing. But the question is, why are the millennials stressed? In a world that tries to bring out the positive effects on mental health, what causes mental trauma?
According to certain observations, the world for millennials is quite uncertain. Gen Y had grown up in an environment where there was consistency around them. However, nowadays, everything is ‘ever-changing’. The older millennials (born in the 1980s) believe that they have spent almost half of their lives and they must accomplish something worth of economic value. The frequent feeling of anxiety due to this pressure of achieving keeps on increasing every minute to perform better in their exam
As for the younger millennials (born in the 1990s), the anxiety and stress kick in more. The choices they make, the need to be constantly on social media, student loans, an ambitious career, recurrent career changes, salary of baby boomers being drained out, and a tight job to secure because of all the competition. There sure is a lot on their plate, so much that it gave rise to Millennial Anxiety Disorder.
Since the cat is out of the bag, how do we cope with this? By now, we understand that stress and anxiety cannot be vanquished, but can it be reduced? There are a few tips that experts say can help, and the best 10 are listed below.
Mental Health Tips For Millennials
1. You Come First
Since all the money, stress, and difficulty in and outside the office is faced by these fellas, many of them have sadly turned towards ‘death of despair’. Please do remember that no matter what, ending your life is not an option. Losing hair is better than losing your life!
The first tip is to look every day in the mirror and try to reassure yourself that this is also a level of some game. Whenever a depressing thought about ending your life enters your mind, distract yourself. Try not to think of all this while driving or walking on the road. We do not want any ‘accidents of despair’ happening either.
2. Stop Trying To Be Tony Stark Or Wonder Woman
Most of us love our superheroes and consider them true inspirations. However, always remember that you are not them. It is acceptable if you aim to be like one of them, having a high-achieving career, good parent, being fit and healthy, and not losing your calm in anxious situations. Nonetheless, do remember that it is not necessary to be the perfect one like these characters.
Do not go into depression if you do not have a multimillion empire by the age of 30. Everyone succeeds at their own pace, and the meaning of success differs for each individual.
3. Do Have a Financial Plan
Money is one of the key features of stress among millennials. Whether it is a student loan that stresses them out or an upcoming mortgage payment, it can be a cause of hypertension. If you are in debt, things can get more out of hand. In times like these, be sure to come up with a financial plan that can also reduce your debt.
Budgeting has always been the best way to manage your money but tryto get extra repairs because life is uncertain. Do not worry, as you would have surely made some savings.
4. Reach Out for Help if Needed
Anxiety, depression, and mental health disorders affect people each year. One of the reasons that these disorders prevail is that people feel uneasy to reach out. Whether it is the fear of being laughed upon or going viral online, that is unsure.
However, people do feel uncomfortable when talking about their mental condition with others. In such cases, try to remember that it is never too late to ask for help. The world is a place that might cheer you up.
5. Prioritize Your Diet
Snacks often make people binge eat or not eat at all. You might want to eat unhealthy food to soothe your tension or lie all day and eat nothing. Keep in mind that both of these are extreme behaviors and not welcomed by your body.
By not keeping a check on your diet, the human body faces stress and negative impacts. People add a lot of caffeine to their diets to stay awake due to office overloads and eat pill after pill to sleep when they cannot. Plenty of these things can be controlled by a balanced diet.
6. Learn to Say ‘No’
This is one of the hardest tips to follow but also an important one Understanding the power of the word ‘No’ and the positive impact it can have on your life. You do not have to do everything all the time.
Anyone can say no to overtime, no matter how much they want it. Also, you can say no to social invitations and explain to your friends and family that you do not have availability. You can appreciate the opportunities coming your way but always put your mental health first.
7. Stop the Hustling
Every one of us wants to hustle and succeed in life. Make a mental note that hustling sometimes makes you go round and round in circles. Once in a while, sit back and observe what is going on around you. Relax and just take a break,as it can be your prime requirement.
Work at your own pace and calculate what you have done so far this week. A little step away from the hustling might give you some mental peace and strength.
8. Move a Joint
Going out for a walk is one of the best ways to reduce stress. A lot of millennials believe that they walk their office commute regularly,yet it makes no difference. Here, moving a joint is aboutwalking or exercisingin a peaceful environment where the office is not the thing on your mind.
If you are an introvert and would prefer inner spaces, you might tap into some YouTube bedroom yoga. It is a great way to have a workout that will sweat your stress out.
9. Start a Journal
Not everyone around us is a writer. In fact, many people are worried about writing a journal that may get caught. Such thoughts keep adding stress and burden to a millennial’s list. However, have a little trust and try to jot down what you are feeling.
You do not always need to write a diary that may get into the wrong hands. The easiest way to overcome this fear is by sharing your thoughts on an electronic gadget with a secured password. This will help you recognize the triggers that make you anxious. Also, you may find a way of controlling the pattern.
10. Pin-Up Things You’re Grateful For
The last tip is the easiest of them all. All you have to do is pin up a list of things you appreciate in your life. No matter how bad things in life are, all of us can find at least ten things that we are grateful for.
Pinning up a list of these things will make your depression a tad lighter. You will be grateful for what you have, and it might make you look at the brighter side frequently.
The Takeaway
Anxiety and stress are getting common for millennials, but they should not be. While it is difficult to conquer Millennial Anxiety Disorder,which does not mean one cannot try to overcome it. Give yourself some pep talk, watch a motivational video, or do a little comedy gig to forget about the economic gig for a while.
As a millennial, have you been part of anxiety or stress ever? If yes, what are the ways through which you overcome such situations? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below and help other millennials around.
