Gen Z, Mental Health, and the Truth About Social Media
Table of Contents
Intro
The Myth — Social Media as the Villain
The Four Core Drivers of Gen Z’s Struggles
Social Media as a Mirror, Not the Root
The Emotional Toll of Early Struggles
Why Loneliness Hits Gen Z So Hard
Aly’s Personal Journey
What Needs to Change — Systemic Solutions
Why You Should Listen to Sonia Chand’s Podcast
Conclusion
Gen Z, Mental Health, and the Truth About Social Media
Everywhere you turn, it seems like the world has one simple explanation for Gen Z’s mental health crisis: social media. From TikTok scrolling to Instagram comparisons, the narrative is that screens are to blame for rising anxiety, depression, and isolation among young people. But is that really the full story?
In a powerful episode of On the Spectrum Empowerment Stories, host Sonia Chand sits down with Aly Vredenberg — a suicide survivor, author, and passionate advocate for mental health reform — to dig deeper. Aly shares not only her lived experience, but also the research and systemic realities that explain why Gen Z is struggling at historic levels.
This isn’t just another conversation blaming phones and apps. Instead, the episode challenges us to look at the bigger picture, the economic instability, lack of social belonging, and meaning gaps that shape this generation’s lives.
In this article, we’ll unpack the biggest insights from Sonia and Aly’s conversation: the real drivers behind Gen Z’s struggles, why social media is more of a mirror than a cause, and the changes we need to create a healthier future.
The Myth — Social Media as the Villain
If you ask most parents, teachers, or even journalists, they’ll tell you that social media is the main reason young people are anxious, depressed, and disconnected. It’s the convenient scapegoat: endless scrolling, toxic comparisons, cyberbullying, and the addictive pull of online life.
And yes, social media plays a role. But Aly Vredenberg offers a crucial reframe: social media isn’t the root of Gen Z’s pain, it’s a reflection of struggles that were already there.
Young people aren’t logging on because their lives are perfect. They’re logging on because they feel disconnected, stressed, and uncertain in a world that hasn’t given them stability or belonging. In other words, TikTok and Instagram often serve as coping mechanisms, not causes.
This means the problem runs far deeper than the apps on our phones. If we want to understand Gen Z’s mental health crisis, we need to look beyond the screen at the economic, social, and cultural conditions that shape their daily lives.
The Four Core Drivers of Gen Z’s Struggles
While social media often takes the blame, Aly Vredenberg reminds us that the mental health crisis facing Gen Z didn’t appear out of nowhere. It’s the product of deeper forces; social, economic, and cultural that have shaped this generation’s reality. Understanding these drivers is the first step to moving from blame to meaningful change.
Economic Instability
Gen Z has never truly known stability. Many were children during the 2008 Great Recession, a period that left millions of families jobless, homeless, or deeply in debt. For young people, those early experiences left scars: financial stress wasn’t just a temporary struggle, it became the backdrop of their lives.
The statistics are sobering:
Nearly 1 in 4 young people grew up in poverty.
Over 30 million children in the U.S. lived in low-income households during Gen Z’s formative years.
What does this mean in practice? Financial insecurity isn’t just about money. It directly impacts mental health. Constant worry about rent, bills, or college debt is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. For many in Gen Z, stress about the future feels overwhelming because they’ve seen financial collapse play out in their own families.
So when people say “Gen Z is fragile,” it’s worth remembering: this is a generation that grew up with the ground already shaking beneath them.
Isolation in Modern Life
We often hear that Gen Z is the “most connected” generation in history. But connected online doesn’t always mean connected in real life. Despite having thousands of followers or friends on apps, many young people describe feeling deeply alone.
Research backs this up. Between 50% and 80% of Gen Z report experiencing persistent loneliness, far higher than older generations. And loneliness isn’t just an emotion. Studies show it increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and even physical health issues like heart disease.
A major reason? The way our modern world is built. Cities and neighborhoods are designed for cars and screens, not people. Walking communities, corner cafés, and shared spaces where people naturally bump into one another have been replaced with long commutes, isolated suburbs, and endless digital interaction. The result: Gen Z craves belonging but often struggles to find it.
Environmental and Social Spaces
Another factor Aly highlights is the loss of community spaces. Sociologists often talk about “third spaces” — places outside of home (the first space) and work/school (the second space) where people come together. Think libraries, parks, youth clubs, or even local coffee shops.
For many in Gen Z, those spaces are shrinking. Budget cuts have closed libraries and community centers. Parks are less accessible, especially in urban areas. Religious participation has declined, removing another traditional hub of connection.
Why does this matter? Because these spaces aren’t just about activities, they’re about belonging. It’s in those casual encounters and organic conversations that people feel seen and supported. Without them, isolation grows, and so does the mental toll.
This loss is particularly hard on young people who already feel marginalized, whether because of identity, disability, or socioeconomic status. For them, third spaces are lifelines and their absence is keenly felt.
Lack of Meaning
Perhaps the deepest struggle facing Gen Z is the search for meaning. Mental health experts agree: purpose is a cornerstone of well-being. When people feel like their lives matter and they’re contributing to something bigger, they’re more resilient in the face of challenges.
But many young people feel adrift. Traditional anchors of meaning; religion, long-term career paths, or stable communities, aren’t as present as they once were. Instead, Gen Z is left comparing themselves to curated highlight reels on Instagram and TikTok.
It’s no wonder that so many feel like they’re falling short. When every scroll shows someone else with more money, more success, or more happiness, it creates a comparison trap that deepens despair. Without a sense of grounding purpose, the stress and hopelessness only grow stronger.
Taken together, these four drivers; economic instability, isolation, loss of community spaces, and lack of meaning; paint a much fuller picture of Gen Z’s mental health struggles than “blame social media” ever could.
Social Media as a Mirror, Not the Root
When the topic of Gen Z’s mental health comes up, social media is usually the first thing people blame. It’s easy to point to Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat as the culprits behind rising rates of anxiety, depression, and comparison culture. But Aly Vredenberg makes a crucial point on Sonia Chand’s podcast: social media is more of a mirror than the root cause.
Think about it. Social media didn’t invent loneliness, financial stress, or lack of belonging, it simply amplifies them. The struggles Gen Z faces were already in motion long before Instagram or TikTok even existed. The platforms just gave these challenges a stage.
For many, social media is a form of escapism. When real life feels overwhelming, whether because of money problems, family struggles, or feeling out of place, logging online offers temporary distraction. Scrolling can numb pain, even if only for a moment. That’s why blaming social media alone is misplaced. It’s like blaming the mirror for the reflection you don’t like.
The truth is, Gen Z doesn’t suffer because they’re “too online.” They go online because they’re already suffering. Until we deal with the deeper roots; economic instability, social isolation, and loss of meaning — no amount of logging off will heal the crisis.
The Emotional Toll of Early Struggles
One of the most powerful points Aly shares is that Gen Z’s struggles didn’t start in their teens — they began in childhood. Many grew up during the Great Recession, watching parents lose jobs, facing eviction, or moving constantly just to survive. Others saw their families living paycheck to paycheck, never sure if the bills would get paid.
These experiences leave lasting marks. Science confirms this: children raised in poverty are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to experience anxiety and depression later in life. That’s not just about money. It’s about what constant uncertainty does to a developing brain.
When you grow up never knowing if you’ll have stability, you carry that anxiety into adulthood. The feeling of “the ground can fall out from under me at any time” becomes part of your worldview. For Gen Z, this collective memory of instability fuels today’s mental health challenges.
It’s important to remember: these aren’t just statistics. They’re lived experiences that shape how young people see themselves and the world. Behind every “Gen Z is anxious” headline is a generation that learned fear and instability far too early.
👉 Sonia Chand’s conversation with Aly Vredenberg dives deeper into how these early struggles ripple into adulthood. Listen to the full episode here and hear Aly’s powerful story in her own words.
Why Loneliness Hits Gen Z So Hard
Loneliness is not just a quiet ache, it’s a public health crisis. And for Gen Z, it has reached alarming levels. Studies show that between 50% and 80% of young people report persistent feelings of loneliness. That means more than half of an entire generation feels disconnected, unseen, and unsupported on a regular basis.
This is the paradox of our time: we are more digitally connected than ever, yet less socially connected in real life. Young people can have hundreds or even thousands of followers online but still struggle to find someone they can truly confide in. The likes, comments, and constant scrolling often fill the silence but don’t replace real human intimacy.
Part of the problem is the loss of shared, everyday spaces. Previous generations often found belonging in community centers, local hangouts, faith gatherings, libraries, or even just playing outside with neighbors. These so-called “third spaces” — places outside of home and school or work — gave people casual, organic ways to connect. Today, many of those spaces are gone or harder to access. Urban planning often prioritizes cars, shopping malls, and private entertainment over parks, public squares, and safe gathering places. Add to that the reality of busier schedules and higher stress, and the opportunities to simply “be together” have quietly slipped away.
For Gen Z, this lack of daily togetherness makes the loneliness sharper. They may be connected online, but the absence of safe, welcoming physical spaces has left many feeling like outsiders in their own communities. And loneliness, as research shows, is more than just sadness; it’s linked to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even physical health issues like weakened immunity and heart problems.
Understanding this context helps us see why so many young people are not just struggling quietly, but struggling deeply.
Aly’s Personal Journey
Behind the statistics and theories lies a deeply human story. Aly Vredenberg, the guest on Sonia Chand’s On the Spectrum Empowerment Stories podcast, doesn’t just study these issues; she has lived them.
As a teenager, Aly attempted suicide. The weight of isolation, trauma, and hopelessness pushed her to a breaking point. And while she survived, she later faced another devastating tragedy: the loss of her best friend. These experiences left scars but also became the seeds of her life’s mission.
Instead of staying silent, Aly chose to transform her pain into purpose. She became an advocate, author, and researcher, dedicating her career to understanding why young people struggle so much and how society can do better. Her work is not just academic, it’s rooted in her lived reality. Every statistic she shares is colored by memory, every insight sharpened by loss.
This is what makes her voice so powerful. Aly isn’t speaking about “them,” she’s speaking about us; about herself, her peers, and an entire generation navigating a world that often feels stacked against them. Her journey shows that while despair is real, healing and transformation are possible.
Aly’s story is one of courage and resilience, and it’s why her conversation with Sonia is so powerful. You can listen to the full episode here and hear directly how her personal tragedies shaped her advocacy and message of hope.
What Needs to Change — Systemic Solutions
When conversations about Gen Z’s struggles come up, the advice is often shallow: “Just log off social media.” But as Aly Vredenberg makes clear in her conversation with Sonia Chand, the problems go far deeper than screen time. Social media might intensify feelings of stress or loneliness, but it didn’t create the crisis — it only reflects it. To truly support young people, we need systemic solutions, not quick fixes.
Universal Healthcare with Mental Health Parity
One of Aly’s strongest points is that access to mental health care cannot be a privilege, it has to be a right. Too often, therapy, counseling, or psychiatric care is out of reach because of cost. Even when people do have health insurance, mental health is often treated as “less important” than physical health.
True mental health parity means insurance and healthcare systems treat depression, anxiety, and trauma with the same urgency and coverage as a broken bone or diabetes. If we want to prevent crises instead of reacting to them, affordable, accessible care for all is non-negotiable.
Trauma-Informed Schools
For many kids and teens, school is where the first cracks begin to show. But traditional education systems are rarely equipped to recognize or respond to trauma. Teachers may misinterpret a student’s withdrawal, anxiety, or disruptive behavior as laziness or defiance when in reality, it’s often a sign of pain.
Aly argues for trauma-informed schools that train teachers and staff to recognize the signs of mental distress and respond with empathy instead of punishment. Imagine classrooms where students feel safe, understood, and supported rather than judged. The earlier support begins, the more likely we are to prevent long-term mental health struggles.
National Service Programs to Build Belonging
Another powerful solution Aly highlights is the creation of national service programs for young people. The idea is simple but profound: give Gen Z structured, meaningful opportunities to work together on community projects, environmental efforts, or social service.
Programs like these create purpose, belonging, and real-life connection, the very things many young people feel they are missing. Instead of feeling isolated or stuck scrolling online, participants gain skills, friendships, and a deeper sense of contribution to the world.
The Belonging Lab
Perhaps the most inspiring part of Aly’s work is her own nonprofit project: The Belonging Lab. This initiative is all about community-driven solutions to loneliness and disconnection. The Belonging Lab works to create spaces both physical and social where people can come together, share experiences, and rebuild trust in one another.
It’s not about telling people to “do better” on their own; it’s about changing the environments we live in so belonging becomes the norm, not the exception.
Why You Should Listen to Sonia Chand’s Podcast
Reading about Gen Z’s challenges helps, but hearing Aly Vredenberg’s story in her own words takes it to another level. The podcast episode brings a depth and honesty that written summaries alone cannot capture. Aly does not just share statistics and theories. She shares her life. She talks openly about her struggles, her survival, and her hope for change.
Sonia Chand’s On the Spectrum Empowerment Stories is more than a platform for discussion. It is a space where lived experience meets practical solutions. In this episode, Aly blends her personal journey with her professional insight to show how we can begin to address the roots of Gen Z’s mental health crisis.
By listening, you will gain two things: understanding and tools. Understanding of what young people are truly facing. Tools to start conversations, create safer environments, and push for the systemic changes Aly calls for.
Listen to the full episode here
Conclusion
Gen Z’s mental health struggles are too often simplified as a “social media problem.” But as Aly Vredenberg reminds us, the reality is much deeper. Economic stress, loneliness, a lack of meaningful spaces, and struggles with identity and purpose all play a role. Social media may amplify these challenges, but it did not create them.
Aly’s story is a reminder that change is possible. With systemic support and community care, young people can find healing. With resilience and advocacy, they can also lead the way toward a more connected, compassionate future.
If you care about the future of Gen Z or your own mental wellness; this is an episode you do not want to miss.
