SHARES
A recent study by the Blue Cross Blue Shields Association suggests millennials to be less healthy as they age, even more so in comparison to Gen X’ers.
Furthermore, millennials have a double digit increase in diagnoses for eight of the top 10 health conditions.
When compared to the national population, millennials are more affected by behavioural health conditions than physical, with the highest increases shown in rates of major depression and hyperactivity.
Deborah Serani, PsyD, professor at Adelphi University and award-winning author of “Living with Depression,” says the prevalence of these conditions among millennials doesn’t surprise her. Here’s why:
Technological advances
Our generation is the first generation to grow up with such marvellous devices and creations – a beautiful distraction. We’ve learned to interact virtually and forgotten how to in real life. Our innate need for connection mostly derived from the relationships we create online but what’s left of our factual world – a lack in emotional awareness. This lack of emotional awareness has a name – alexithymia.
Media Overload
Something we hear very often.
“Stories of terrorism, natural disasters, or catastrophes that were nonexistent generations ago, are now available around the clock,” Serani said. “Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and fear regarding these events permeated into the world of millennials either by witnessing such stories themselves, or through the contagious fear reactions from adults in their family circle.”
Everyone wins and other lies
Gone were the days of losses and wins, today everyone is a winner. As long as your participate you get a ribbon but this impedes the natural learning curve of dealing with failure and building resiliency.” As a result, many millennials encounter difficulty tolerating stressful events, frustrating easily, and avoiding demands so as not to feel overwhelmed,” said Serani.
Two-income Households
As the cost of living slowly rises globally, our generation finds ourselves in a predicament no other generation has found itself in before. Households these days have both parents working, leaving the kids in a more solitary world trapping them in a bubble of loneliness and avoidance searching for acceptance and love elsewhere.
10 health conditions affecting millennials
So what are the 10 health conditions affecting millennials you might ask ?
- Major depression
- Substance use disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
- Hypertension
- Hyperactivity
- Psychotic conditions
- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- High cholesterol
- Tobacco use disorder
- Type 2 diabetes
Looking at the list one realises that they are mostly lifestyle dependent conditions – ones that are reversible and avoidable. However, the BCBSA survey found that one-third of millennials don’t have a primary care provider. Moreover most do not receive regular preventive care too. Consequently, most millennials only visit a doctor when they are sick or something is broken.
What Now ?
The best thing us millennials can do for our health is to seek out preventive care. To receive proper diagnosis and treatment before a condition becomes unmanageable or life-threatening. You’ll never know when you may need care, and many conditions are more treatable, and at a more affordable price, if you bring it to a physician’s attention early on.
by Yashwini Ravindranath
Born & raised in Malaysia, Yashwini earned her M.D. studying in Moscow's Russian National Research Medical University. With an affiliation towards research, all things coffee and the startup ecosystem, she now contributes articles to GetDocSays View all articles by Yashwini Ravindranath.
