Compared to the 25% of all Canadians who experience a mental health disorder, it is becoming evident that young professionals are at a disproportionately higher risk than the general population to suffer from mental health concerns.1
Every generation has faced its fair share of challenges but headlines in recent years highlight a rising concern for the mental health of young professionals year over year. In a 2023 study, it was found that 5 million young professionals needed mental health support. Further, 40% of Canadian workers between the ages of 18 and 24 report reaching a “breaking point” concerning their mental health.
Why are young professionals struggling with their mental health?
The media tends to use a lot of buzzwords, such as burnout, workplace stress, and even mental health crisis to describe the escalating need for young Canadian workers to seek mental health support. But, what exactly does that mean?
In recent years, young professionals have been confronted with an array of financial, personal, and professional difficulties that have led them to experience symptoms of stress, anxiety, substance use, and depression. The combined effects of rising inflation and cost of living, as well as the ever-present influence of social media’s toxic compare and despair phenomenon have led some young professionals to feel as though their lives are falling short in comparison to their parents, grandparents, and older peers. As a result, it’s normal for these young professionals to feel varying degrees of helplessness, hopelessness, and uncertainty about their futures.
Depression, anxiety, and substance use among young professionals
Depression, although sometimes used to describe natural feelings of sadness or discouragement in response to specific events, is a “mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.”2 As such, depression can cause young people to give up hope on living a meaningful and fulfilling life, even when their circumstances aren’t as bleak as they lead themselves to believe. Unfortunately, depression amongst Canadian youth is not a rare occurrence. Conversely, more than 250,000 Canadians between the ages of 15 and 24 experience a major depressive episode every single year.3
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by persistent feelings of worry, nervousness or fear about future events or uncertain outcomes. Symptoms of anxiety can manifest both psychologically, e.g. concentration and memory issues) and physically, e.g. muscle tension, increased heart rate, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disturbances. As a result, those suffering from anxiety are sometimes unable to lead typical and comfortable lives.
Over the past decade, the rates of anxiety experienced by young Canadians doubled. What’s worse is that rates of anxiety for young females tripled.4 Without the proper mental health support, anxiety takes an emotional and physiological toll on young professionals, which can interfere with their productivity and tenure at work – not to mention their personal lives by preventing feelings of ease and relaxation. Specifically, if left untreated, anxiety can lead to more significant mental health issues over time, such as Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder.
Substance use, another leading mental health concern amongst young professionals, has risen drastically in recent years. Perhaps due to rising challenges and stressors, or a lack of access to mental health services due to affordability or availability, 14% of young adults aged 20-24 use illicit drugs, and 84% consume alcohol. Consequently, young Canadians engage in substance use the most compared to any other age range.5
How can young professionals get mental health support?
Regardless of the reasons why young professionals are much more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and substance use than the rest of Canadians, one solution is clear: therapy. Speaking with a qualified counsellor can offer young professionals the understanding and compassion they need to overcome the very real challenges of building a life in these trying economic and social times.
Fortunately, in addition to traditional in-person individual therapy, many counselling options now exist to suit the lifestyles and preferences of diverse Canadians, including online and group therapy. Finding the right type of therapy and counsellor varies by person but the positive outcome of seeking mental health support is a constant.
If you are a young professional suffering from a mental health concern like depression, anxiety, or substance use, get the support you need to be happy, healthy, and prosperous by visiting Therapy@Home for counselling options: https://homewoodhealth.com/home/services/therapyathome/
1https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/workplace-burnout-costing-canadian-companies-billions
2https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007
3https://bc.cmha.ca/documents/depression-2/
4https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230922/dq230922b-eng.htm
5https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canadian-alcohol-drugs-survey/2019-summary.html