Mental Health and Young Adults
Adulting can be hard. It’s exciting getting your first real job, moving into your first apartment and maybe having your first proper relationship. But there are issues that come with these things and while we see the good side, hardly anybody talks about the stressful side, which can also create anxiety, depression and general mental health issues.
Let’s talk about a few of the struggles that 20-30 years old experience daily:
Young adults and loneliness
As a young adult, you may have finished college and moved to a new city. It’s exciting, sure, but it can also feel lonely. Making new friends or finding a new social circle isn’t all that easy. And while you see everyone else’s Social Media posts about parties and picnics, you can feel excluded. Loneliness is real and especially affects those 20-30 year olds, women and men, who are finding their way, starting off afresh and taking on new challenges. It’s important to remember that everyone feels lonely at some point, even when in a relationship, and it isn’t always going to be this way.
My relationship is stressing me out
We all love the idea of having a partner and we all hope that our relationships are going to be perfect, especially in those idealistic years, the twenties and thirties. Truthfully, no relationship is perfect and they all require hard work. If you are in a particularly tricky relationship, take care of yourself. It’s important to get help when you need to, find someone who you can talk to and learn how to help your partner, or your relationship, or yourself, without damaging your own emotional health. Love is wonderful and we all deserve it, but remember, practice self-care when things get tricky.
Work is not as perfect as it should be
You may be in your first job, or perhaps you’ve landed the job of your dreams. In our twenties and thirties we often work harder than we should and put incredible pressure on ourselves to be perfect. Work hours can be insane and young adults in the workplace are more often stressed out than anyone else. There is pressure to earn, pressure to prove ourselves, pressure to ‘do better’ and pressure to keep up. Remember, you do not have to ‘put on a brave face.’ If you’re struggling, talk to your colleagues or your boss. Get help before everything starts to take a toll. And don’t take on more than you need to.
Social pressure and young adults
Young adults are under so much pressure to keep up with social appearances and Social Media does not help at all. In fact, it may seem like everyone is having a great time, except you. It is important to remember that it is not like that. If Social Media is stressing you out, be strict with the amount of time you spend online. And if you really are going to too many parties or on too many dates, hey, you can slow down. You should slow down anyway. You don’t have to do everything and you don’t need to succumb to social pressure. A night at home, or many nights at home, is good for you. Choose the social activities that make you feel good. Hate bars? Don’t go. Hate nightclubs? Say no thanks. Choose the things you love to do or that give you enjoyment. And if that means being alone at home with Netflix, that’s okay too.
Take care of yourself and your mental health. Being a young adult can be tricky. It’s important to remember, you are not alone.
