After Covid, return to office, performance pressure keep Gen Z stressed

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

mental health concerns mounted in 2023.

Nearly half a dozen counsellors and experts ET spoke with said they are getting an alarmingly high anxiety- and depression-related complaints from the Gen Z — who witnessed a multi-fold increase in stress levels amid rising fears of job loss, inroads of artificial intelligence at work, a tightening economy and layoffs in certain sectors.

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That apart, heightened performance pressure at work and back-to-office mandates of several companies are leading to rising levels of stress, marking a shift from the last two years when people were found grappling with health-related concerns and fear of Covid, said mental health experts.

Mental health consultant 1to1help.net has witnessed a 20-30% increase in people in their 20s and 30s seeking counselling assistance in 2023 compared with last year.

Nearly 70% of the people from a sample of over 10,000 seeking counselling support from mental health service provider Amaha in 2023 were young working professionals in the age group of 22-35 years, said Amit Malik, its founder and chief executive.

Ashish Ambasta, founder & CEO of HappyPlus Consulting, said 45-50% of the young professionals in the 25-35 age range from a sample of about 3,000 people across sectors complained of stress in 2023. This was higher than about 30-35% of the people in the 35-50 age group who said that they were stressed.

Sleeplessness, fatigue, anxiety, a feeling of void or an extreme