SAN ANTONIO – A new report from the Thriving Center of Psychology shows there is a growing need for therapy among Gen Z and Millennials.
According to the report, 93% of those two generational groups hope to improve their mental health in 2024, but 22% don’t think they can. There are many factors stopping people from getting into therapy but the main reason is the cost.
The report says 58% of people have not gone to therapy because it’s too expensive.
In fact, financial concerns are a huge trigger as to why these groups are seeking therapy in the first place. Our everchanging economy and the cost of living are leading to a lot of stress and anxiety for people in their early 20s through their early 40s.
“We don’t have the access to homes, we’re not moving out at 18 and are just getting our lives started. We’re not all getting married in our early twenties. Then you add all the political strife, you add all the difficulties with kind of getting through our daily lives and the financial struggles, which it’s getting harder and harder to kind of just survive.” said Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Doctor Tirrell De Gannes.
Anxiety, depression and stress are the top three reasons Gen Z and Millennials want to get into therapy. Going to therapy can significantly help a person in many ways, including, managing everyday life, communicating in ways you couldn’t before and overall, seeing yourself grow.
“The unknown is always scary. That’s what kind of makes it that in the first place. But growth is also part of the unknown and you won’t really know until you try,” Dr. De Gannes said.
Another factor playing into mental health is social media. The original purpose of social media was to connect you to people far away. Now, as social media evolves, many people are connecting but not having deep conversations anymore.
“It also shows people’s best sides. You don’t see the struggles they’re going through or how difficult things are, how long it takes to get progress. You just see the end result of these are comparing to the past and it makes it really difficult to understand the humanness of everyone else,” said Dr. De Gannes.
Where you live plays a part in your mental health as well. According to the report, San Antonio is 28th in cities searching the most about therapy. Out of the 30 cities on the list, Texas itself has five cities ranked.
“There’s the political differences that happen even within the state. There’s the kind of pushing down of mental health support and the rise of the stigma around that,” Dr. De Gannes said.
So where can you start? Dr. De Gannes says to take the following into consideration when searching for a therapist:
- Research therapist in your area
- What works best with your schedule
- Think about your finances
- Does the therapist offer different times of the day to meet
- Your first therapist may not be your last
“The second you see yourself through, all the fear of the unknown goes away,” said Dr. De Gannes.
There is something you can do outside of going to therapy that can help your mental health, and that’s self-care.
Dr. De Gannes says getting outside, seeing family and friends and finding a hobby that doesn’t include smoking or drinking can significantly improve your mental health.
To learn more about the Thriving Center of Psychology and how to get the help you need, click here.