Mental Health in a (Post?) Post-Modern
World: “Millennials” and Illness /
Rose McCormick
Criticisms of the widely discussed “millennial
generation” range from lazy, self-entitled brats to
zombified technology addicted slobs, draining their
hard-working parents savings accounts to go spend
money on “cronuts” or whatever. These stereotypes,
commonly underpinned by the notion that children of
this generation were raised by parents who constantly
put them on a pedestal and gave them awards for
breathing creates and reinforces an image of young(ish)
people who have never had to work hard in their life.
However, statistics on this cohort directly
contradict much of these deeply held cultural beliefs,
exposing them as cruel myth (according to Global News,
53% of the millennial generation in Canada are at risk of
suffering from mental health issues). Overwhelmingly,
more and mo re individuals belonging to this generation
are reporting severe mental strain, predominantly in
the forms of anxiety and depression.
The heightened rate of illness additionally takes
place in a time of heightened expectation and ideals.
The Guardian reports upon these ideals (a cool, fulfilling
job, long-term romantic love, home ownership,
economic stability, etc.) and the pressures that come
with them, interestingly noting an overwhelming
societal trend of “eroding the resources we need to
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