Man is unique in every way, the touch, the speech, the looks, the love, the care, the emotions, the passions towards fellow human beings can never be replaced by gadgets in any way. Depending on different devices by the youth, currently, 24/7 is killing human nature and a plethora. In this process, smartphone addiction and mental health challenges are increasing day by day among youth of both sexes.
Smartphone Addiction in Young People has been a subject of research interest in the current scenario. There are several accidental deaths of young girls and boys falling from terrace while taking video of multi floored buildings or crossing rails or steel tracks, in front of a running train, videos standing on the edge of deep water falls and playing in the middle of the roaring sea on ice burg stones for the sake of making reels and presenting in Instagram, face book and you tube.
According to the Flagship report 16th July 2025 “State of the World’s Children 2025 – UNICEF study extending to youth revealed that in the Covid era, much of Gen Z’s anguish relates to the global pandemic, which began in 2019, the survey found. A quarter of respondents were diagnosed with conditions including anxiety, depression, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during the height of COVID. Nearly 70 percent told the pandemic was tough on their mental health. It made them feel lonely and concerned about the future, the survey revealed. In fact, the majority, 85 percent, of the respondents say they are worried about their future, and top concerns unsurprisingly center on finances and the economy. But they’re also stressed out about things like politics, the environment, violence, and work issues. Nearly 90 percent of Z’s say they don’t feel set up for success, and 75 percent of them believe they are at a disadvantage compared to the older generations.
Digital natives, as they are also sometimes labelled, report feeling comfortable talking about their personal struggles with someone else, especially their friends, siblings, and parents. However, they’d prefer not to have those conversations with a boss, grandparent or stranger. One in five are in therapy. Nearly 60 percent are on some sort of medication to help manage mental health. Despite so many wrestling with psychological challenges, 79 percent of Gen Z believe their age group is best at addressing mental health; 82% of Gen Z feel Baby Boomers (aged 55-64), who got their name from a phenomenon known as the “baby boom.” This period after World War II was marked by a sharp increase in birth rates across the country. In fact, over three million babies were born in 1946, more than ever before in U.S. history. Baby boomers are the worst at talking about mental health, but took a more positive view of Millennials (Ages 26-41) and their approach to discussing mental health. A millennial, or Generation Y, is generally defined as a person born between 1981 and 1996. Coming of age around the turn of the millennium, this cohort is characterized by being the first generation to grow up in a digital environment, making them tech-savvy, highly connected, and often focused on experiences.
Of the survey respondents, 47 percent were men, 45 percent women, 6 percent nonbinary, and 2 percent transgender. They ranged in age from 18 to 24 with an average age of 22. Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in U.S. history, according to Pew Research Center. Non-binary is an umbrella term for gender identities that fall outside the traditional male/female binary. Non-binary people may feel their gender is both, neither, or somewhere in between these categories, or they may feel they have no gender at all. It is an internal sense of self, not a choice or a trend
Clinical Relevance:
Younger people face mental health challenges but are looking to therapy and medication to help 42 percent of Gen Z has received a mental health diagnosis. The most common diagnosis for the younger generation is anxiety, followed by depression, ADHD and PTSD. About 20 percent of Gen Z has been to therapy and 60 percent are on medication to help manage their mental health. Gen Z is worried about the future but also feel they are the generation most capable of talking through their problems. The younger generation has powered through a lot of upheaval in their short lives but it’s taken a toll on their mental health.
Mental health study
This special study shows Gen Z overwhelmed but undeterred by unrelenting global crises with 60 per cent of young people reporting feeling overwhelmed by the news, a new study by a coalition of UNICEF and private sector partners shows that young people continue to face stigma and limited access to mental health services. Gen Z is deeply engaged with global issues, consumes news more than any other form of content, and is eager to shape the future, according to a new study unveiled at the Social Innovation Summit in Geneva, San Francisco from the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health 3rd June 2025
Despite their resilience, creativity, and determination, a worrying combination of geopolitical conflict, climate and ecological crisis, economic uncertainty and mental health challenges is leaving young people feeling overwhelmed, disempowered and adrift without adequate mental health support or services. The study, based on a survey of more than 5,600 Gen Z aged 14-25 globally, found that Gen Z consumes news more than any other content, with 6 in 10 feeling overwhelmed by current events. 4 in 10 still feel stigma around speaking out about mental health in schools and workplaces. Only half know where to find resources to support their mental health. Just 55 per cent believe they have effective coping mechanisms to support their mental health and wellbeing. Activities rooted in movement, mindfulness, and social connection, such as walking, playing, or spending time with friends and family, are considered the most effective for supporting mental health. In spite of several pressures, 60 per cent remain hopeful and want to contribute to shaping a better future.
“This report provides a vital glimpse into the collective unease Gen Z is feeling at the current state of the world, and the persistent gaps in the resources they need to promote positive mental health and wellbeing, which is negatively impacting their sense of agency,” said UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships Carla Haddad Mardini. “This generation of young people have the hope, expertise and commitment needed to build a more compassionate and resilient world and it is up to the collective efforts of governments, educators, businesses, foundations, and the private sector more widely to work with young people to ensure the necessary support is there.”
The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health, established by UNICEF with the support of the Z Zurich Foundation, brings together businesses, including Lululemon, Jo Malone London, Pinterest, Rituals, Sony Group Corporation, Spotify and Zurich Insurance Group, to address the increasing global burden of mental health in children and young people. To date, the Coalition has collectively invested over US$35 million in child and youth mental health. By evaluating the several global studies and the attention paid by international organizations like Zurich Foundation, UNICEF etc., on the proactive nature of Gen Z the message in between the lines is that the world is now under the influence of a special species, Generation Z. If the planners, global thinkers’ influential leaders focus on this group, a new world can be created. (To be concluded).
