3 Experts Explain Why Gen Z Can't Seem to Find Happiness

Forbes

06-05-2025

Young Gen Z asian girl wearing casual sweatshirt with hoodie over white background. Relaxed with sad ... More expression on face. Simple and natural looking at the camera.
How many of you wish that you could go back in time and experience your twenties again? I don't know about you, but I certainly do. For many of us, this decade represents some of the best years of our lives. And why shouldn't it? After all, this was a time of learning, excitement, and adventure.
Now, being young isn't for the faint of heart. It's messy, with ebbs and flows that take you around tons of curves along the way. But, for many Gen Zers, they feel like life is simply an endless valley. For them, happiness and, dare I say, hope feels absolutely unattainable to this generation. Just take a look at the recent Global Flourishing Study conducted by Harvard University in conjunction with Baylor University.
After analyzing over 200,000 young people across 22 countries, the report found something absolutely shocking. For the first time ever, young people between the ages of 18 and 29, are in a happiness crisis. Happiness is flatlining for an entire generation and many of them can't figure out how to bring this emotion back to life again.
So, are Gen Zs the only ones struggling? Well, they're not the only generation, but statistics consistently prove that they are one of the most impacted. In fact, a recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association discovered that over 90% of Gen Zs have experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom due to ongoing stress. However, even though they're the most likely to experience high rates of stress they're actually the least likely to talk about it with those around them because they don't want to be a burden.
So, how did we get here? Were there any clues that we missed? Well, to answer some of those questions, I've reached out to three mental health experts and asked them their thoughts on this topic. Here are some of their theories on why Gen Z is struggling to find happiness:
Kelsey M. Latimer, Ph.D., psychologist and CEO of KML Psychological Services, suggests, 'Some in Gen Z appear overwhelmed with pressure to be the best in all things, ensuring they have the best college applications and are best positioned for the future.'
The stress of perfectionism is massive within this generation. In fact, according to a recent Gallup study, almost one in three Gen Zers believe that they have to be perfect. Interestingly, this number is even higher in girls than boys (40% to 26%).
Lynn Zakeri, owner of Lynn Zakeri LCSW Clinical Services, echoes Latimer, but even goes one step further. She says, 'Gen Z inherited the pressure to be emotionally fluent, socially conscious, digitally present, and endlessly evolving—with no pause to just be.'
The influx of technology and innovation is incredible and there's no greater time to be a business leader than now. But, has the genesis of tech left us with the growing pressure to constantly evolve? Has stillness become incompatible with the modern workplace and way of life?
Zakeri makes the case that Generation Z is struggling to find happiness because society as a whole is more concerned with innovation than introspection. Perhaps she's right. And perhaps there's a way that we can create spaces for both productivity and personal health within the 2025 workplace.
Lastly, Daren Banarsë, MA BACP, a senior psychotherapist with a private practice in Central London, England, brings forth one other observation. He reveals, 'I see young adults who've never learned to sit with discomfort, who experience panic when their phones die, who feel physically ill when Instagram is down.'
He's not alone in his observation. During an interview with NPR back in 2017, Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., professor of psychology at San Diego State University, postulated the theory that the influx of smartphone usage in 2012 had a direct impact on the rise of loneliness.
For years, research has been conducted around the influence of technology in relation to young people, but until now, much of the conversation was based in theory. However, that's no longer the case. Many professionals, according to a recent study by the McKinsey Health Institute, are now discovering a huge connection between social media and how it impacts the way young people see themselves and view their worth.
Gen Z is truly struggling to find happiness. Now, perhaps this will change as life becomes more stable or they go through different stages of adulthood. But, as business leaders, we have the ability to impact change and create spaces that foster happiness for our employees now. And that starts with giving Gen Z the freedom to come to work with their whole self, even if they're struggling to find joy. The more they understand that your business is a safe space for them, the more they'll be able to find community, hope, and dare I say happiness.