Get therapy or pay rent? Millennials, Gen Z making hard choices when it comes to mental health – CBC

When people are in survival mode, paying for therapy is often seen as a luxury, mental health experts say

Sep 25, 2024

Cash-strapped Millennials and Gen Zers have been grappling with soaring rents and rising costs of living, which means that to make ends meet, things like therapy are being treated as luxuries, mental health experts say.

“If I had to spend $80 a week on therapy, I would not. I have too many other responsibilities,” said 36-year-old Steven Lecky, noting he prioritizes things like covering his mortgage to keep a roof over his family’s head.

“I’m already at a state where I have to choose whether to save a little bit of money or have any social life,” he said. “If I do want to go out, I have to really pinch my pennies.”

According to mental health experts, many young adults have said their lives lack meaning or purpose, with financial stress, food and housing insecurity, unemployment, loneliness and pressure to achieve among the leading causes of anxiety and depression. And experts suggest they’re often not getting the help they need to deal with those mental health issues.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mental-health-cost-of-living-therapy-millenials-gen-z-1.7333105