It seems like so many millennials these days are going through depression, anxiety, or other mental issues like PTSD. If you aren’t one, you may think that they deserve the stereotype of eating too much avocado toast, spending too much money on experiences than actual needs, and are babied too much by society. If you are one, you might be angry at the world for leaving an economy trashed by reckless reforms, constantly judging you for using helpful technology, spending money on experiences than useless material goods, and seeing the liberal side of political issues overall. For either party, we can agree that living in society today is tough and almost anyone is prone to developing mental health issues like depression if they aren’t taking care of themselves.

What doesn’t help millennials, however, is the mounting pressure from all sides to perform better than before. Olympic records are becoming faster every year, college is becoming more expensive, iPhones are becoming a necessity to actually stay in touch with peers, and the job market seems to be shrinking. Count in the thousands of dollars of student debt that we have to bear after college that our parents didn’t have to worry about. Jot down the rising costs of healthy food and affording things like health insurance that the older generations keep shouting at us to have. As a millennial myself, I can honestly say that we have it very hard. Not all of us are battle proof enough to go through these struggles with enough family support, healthy routines, and mental tenacity to come out happy and unstressed. Social media plays a huge role in our life’s, and why not? It weaves us together and helps us share important information. Yet, it mainly show us only the highlights of other people’s lives and we never see the times they are struggling just like us. We scroll on our phone and watch Jeffree Star’s latest YouTube video to relax, but in the long run it costs us sleep that could actually benefit us more.

The first step to helping each other with depression is to stop the judgement. If you are feeling strong and care about another person’s well-being, it is time get educated about the types of treatment plans that are available and what affordable activities can actually help!

Social media can contribute to poor teen mental health.

Poor Mental Health

There’s many signs that point to someone (not just a millennial) suffering from depression or weak mental health. Maybe they just look sad or act irritable most of the day, are losing interest in activities that once had their passion, are eating or sleeping differently, or are not doing well in their classes or job. On the deeper level, they could have thoughts of suicide, are isolating themselves from people, or are turning to substances drugs or alcohol. If your suspect these things, come to them with an open mind and don’t accuse them of doing something that they’re not. Catch them at a time when they aren’t busy and put yourself in their shoes. Maybe they’re annoyed or are giving you vague answers to get away. Remember that their tone of voice is just displaying stress they’re experiencing from their mental health.

Overall, tell them that you understand and make it really clear that their emotions are valid. It isn’t wrong to feel upset or stressed if their problems aren’t “as big” as others. Remind them that everyone is going through a struggle of their own. Lastly, be compassionate without point fingers are why they aren’t getting help already. They would not know if a certain treatment is for them if they are so worked up day to day and often can’t give you an answer to such a pressured question.

Getting The Right Help 

Make sure you accentuate how positive someone’s decision to get treatment is. Acknowledging their problem is huge! But that’s the first step. Make sure it fits their schedule and don’t pressure them into seeing the traditional counselor if they want to make diet changes, sleep changes, and exercise changes first. Sometimes seemingly severe mental health issues can be improved in a few weeks with enough sleep and proper nutrition. If they know that their state is much more severe than that, help them look at local treatment or counseling centers that are friendly towards helping younger people. Seeing a younger counselor can sometimes be more comfortable since they might be more relatable to your stage of life. From there, form a plan with possible antidepressants (at a last resort), counseling, support groups, holistic medicine, or another alternative depending on the person’s situation.

Usually the best results are from using a combination of medication and therapy so any other issues besides the depression or stress addressed. The exact plan that the person you’re helping will follow will be determined after all their factors are taken into account. Taking time to tailor a plan to their needs is necessary for successfully completing it.

The Youth Is Strong

You aren’t weak or incapable because you’re young. We millennials are talented, intelligent, and see sides of issues with creativity and with less stubbornness on average. We know how to improvise and deal with life problems with less money in the bank after so many loans. Just having the skills of conquering that is a tremendous feat. Dealing with poor mental health and anxiety disorder in millennials can be hard because we all take on so much each day. We are always adjusting to the stress of school, work, and being a successful person. If you or someone you know is too depressed or stressed, first talk to someone trustworthy. Then, go together to see a counseling expert who can form a battle proof plan. Take action and see where the road takes you!

Millennials can adapt and succeed.