Life hits us really fast and before you know it you’re in your 20s then you hit your 30s and suddenly life past you by. You can’t help to fight the feeling of unaccomplished, unhappy, hopeless, and unloved. The major reasons why millennials are depressed.
After University is the most challenging time for young adults. The transition from college which promises you that you were going to get a great career, a house a nice car, and a family have proven to be deceiving. Having a college education is perceived to be a way out as if it has a magic wand that grants wishes, but for me, that pathway led to stress and more financial strain.
How many times have we seen grad and undergrads working in bars and waiting tables? We have no idea ‘what to’ ‘where to’ and ‘how to.’ They fail to teach us the basics of building our life, career, and how to make money. When we look at the world it is changing rapidly. The price of everything continues to rise and technology have given us more reasons to spend money we haven’t earn and they wonder why millennials are more depressed than baby boomers.
Finance may be one of the major causes of depression, but it’s far from the only cause of depression in young people. Let’s discuss some of the reasons why millennials are depressed and what are the main caused of depression.
What are the main causes of depression?
Being in Debt
Student loans, car loans, and even our family place a significant burden on us. Many young persons may have to work to assist their families because of financial struggles. According to the Student Loan Hero, Americans owe nearly $1.3 trillion in student loan debt with 44 million borrowers. Wow!
Debt is a struggle that plagues us, a credit card is easily attained and money management is not our strong pursuit. We spend money on things we don’t need with money we don’t have. Well, debt will surely find you. How To Save Money While Paying Off Your Debts
Responsibilities
Responsibilities! Responsibilities! Becoming an adult is having more responsibilities, like having a job, buying your own home, or renting your own place, and dealing with problems that arise from that. Paying bills, having children, maintaining and sustaining relationships. Sometimes all of this can get overwhelming.
Not making enough money
Money is the root of all of our problems. If we had the resources, we would be twice as happy as we are now. A decent wage will help get us ahead in life. However, most of us are unfortunate and end up getting a mediocre job which often leaves us in more misery because it’s not what we wanted for ourselves. So we become depressed and unhappy with life.
Loneliness
We become depressed when we are lonely. Loneliness is depressing, and it sometimes makes us feel unwanted and unloved. Though being single is good, it is actually a great way to help us to find ourselves, build our careers, and enjoy life before we decide to settle.
Having a partner can also help to alleviate pressure, knowing you have someone to help you financially to share bills with, to talk with, and to comfort you during your time of need. Going through it alone is hard, but going through it with someone is much easier.
Lacking Self Confidence
Confidence is a major importance in becoming who we are, like Marcus Garvey said “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started.” Let me tell you, without confidence; you won’t even begin to live but dwindle in your own shadow of fear and doubt.
Not having friends
I never understand why people are sad because they don’t have friends, in your 20s it is much better to do without all the drama and stress that friendships go through. You can have friends but don’t allow it to be the center of your life. Try to enjoy your own company rather than using friends to fill a gap.
Procrastination
Procrastination is the killer of all hopes and dreams. Putting off your dreams and goals in life is a major setback and makes you less productive and successful and more miserable, unaccomplished, and broke.
Social Media
Social Media’s role is to provide basic social interaction but has proven to be very damaging to our self-esteem. The more time you spend browsing social media sites the more you begin to compare yourself with others. Then self-doubt, jealously and body image issues begin to come over you. However, we fail to realize that social media life is all lies. The grass always looks greener on social media, but is it offline?
A picture can tell and 1000 words, but those words can be pure lies. Everything is orchestrated on Facebook and Instagram from the angle of the pose to the authenticity. Photoshop is real, and people do lie. That fancy car or house may not be theirs, and that happy relationship you see may be fake as well, they are probably trying to kill each other off-camera. People tend to post the best version of their lives and hide the reality of what it is. Social media is a major key to why millennials are depressed.
Wanting it all too soon
Some of us think by 25 a marriage, career, house, car, and saving account should be attained. Well, that dream is a lie, and you are about to be even more depressed if you think life works like that. My advice to you is to take your time to be single if you are and enjoy your life. Write a bucket list and do them step by step. Travel, volunteer, accomplish all the things you wanted to do. Most of all secure a future for yourself where you can be happy while doing the things you love most.
Find your purpose
Our purpose is more than just living but experiencing life to the fullest. Try to enjoy the journey and make the best of it. Soon you will accomplish your purpose and be filled with happiness and love. Find peace by seeking God then you will realize how your life will change dramatically.
Also, Having alone time will allow you to come to terms with what you want in life and clear your mind, be at ease and revamp on how you will make changes moving forward.
Post Pandemic
Since the pandemic hit many of us faced hardship, pain, and sadness of some sort. The lockdown created a wall around us and many of us felt trapped. Even the introverts took this one really hard. Many of us like myself was trapped inside our homes without any family or friends (Sidenote, they live in another country). It was so hard dealing with the problems that were going on in the news both politically and socio-economically. The world was a cluster F**k and that’s the only way I can put it.
Impacts of COVID/Pandemic
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Financial burden began to hit many
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Bereavement from losing loved ones
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Health-related issues from COVID (Long haulers syndrome)
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Worries of uncertainty
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Loss of job
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Loss of freedom
- Fear
“Taking a leap of faith to achieve the things you want. Someday never ever happens, so just do it now”.