How Millennials and Gen Z'ers Are Changing the Look of Mental Health

If you’re anywhere online, you’ll probably start seeing posts of the importance of mental health - these come in forms of Twitter screenshots, meme layouts, I’ve even seen these types of posts using piecharts and cartoons. While some people may think this is making fun of the seriousness of mental health and mental illness, others believe the intent of these photos and memes are supposed to normalise these once stigmatised topics. 

When is it normalising and when is it a joke?

A lot of the ways people are trying to normalise mental health and getting therapy are through things like memes and twitter posts. This could be seen as a way to minimise the importance, severity, and necessity of counselling or therapy for some people. By this I mean, some people may see these posts and think to themselves something along the lines of “this post is problematic because I deal with x, y, or z, and this post does not accurately portray what it is really like.” Or maybe someone may think “even though I deal with x, y, or z, I appreciate the attempted humour as a way to cope with this.” Or really anything in between. And I’m sure if you’re reading this, you know exactly where you fall on those lines. This means that you have already decided on whether or not you believe these posts are spreading awareness or more misunderstanding. 

We can’t ignore the positives these posts are having - people are beginning to feel as though mental health and therapy are more normal than they have ever been before. More people are less afraid or ashamed to reach out to therapists and counsellors, whether that is in their town or online, it would be wrong to say that there hasn’t been an increase in mental health help. But, is this increase just because people are posting things about mental health online, or is it needed more with the younger generations than it was with our parents and grandparents? 

I’ve recently been reading a book entitled Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, which goes over the importance of disconnecting from our technology in order to find solitude and peace within, to become more productive in our work and social life, and keep only the relationships that are necessary for your personal growth. I just read a chapter regarding the mental health of the generations which grew up with social media and smart phones, being late millennials and generation z. In this chapter, Newport writes about a study done by Jean Twenge and, to get to the point, she found that teenage depression, suicide, and anxiety have skyrocketed in people born after 1995. This was then accounted to social media use and the constant connection we have with everyone - and, probably not surprising to those of you who were born after 1995, these teenagers and young adults agree, social media is affecting our mental health. 

So, this brings me to the point of this: are these mental health posts attempting to normalise therapy and mental health in general, or is it a generational joke that only millennials and later generations will understand? Are these posts just concerning our generation’s need to be constantly connected, making memes out of everything? According to some research, it would be in response to the constant connection causing higher levels of anxiety and depression, and our generation’s need to meme (okay, research doesn’t say that, but I say that, if that matters). 

However, nothing is that clear cut. Sure, my generation and the generations after me will probably keep reporting higher levels of anxiety and depression (I don’t think that’s all due to social media, but since we’re talking about that now, we’re just going to keep with it), and continue the need of constant connection and entertainment (think old Vine and now TicTok). However, it feels as though these Tweets, memes, cartoons are making light of a serious issue so many of us face every day. This can make those who feel lost and alone feel a little less alone, it may provide them with the security of “oh, hey. I’m not the only one feeling like this!” Or, maybe you see these posts as problematic. But we have to remember that intention is not always based on how we interpret certain things - maybe these posts are offensive to you, but you cannot conclude that it was made to make fun of something serious. Maybe you find these posts funny, but you cannot conclude that it was made in good humour. 

I wish I could conclude whether or not this meme culture around mental health is entirely good or entirely bad, but the truth is - it’s somewhere in between. And I believe it’s somewhere in between based on how we individually interpret these posts. Millennials and generation z are changing the ways we approach, think, and talk about mental health. My generation and the next generations no longer want the stigma that was always associated with seeking help for nonphysical issues, and it’s pretty incredible how much a shift has been made in the past 5 years. There are more people becoming therapists and more ways to seek therapy than ever before, and I can only imagine the good that will continue to come from this shift in attitude in the next 5 years. 

If you or anyone you know are suffering from any mental health concern, big or small, please reach out. info.therapywitholivia@gmail.com