Gen Z is Traumatized

Why are Gen Z's traumas not taken seriously? How can we heal them? How do we take care of ourselves in a time when the news is increasingly upsetting and our working and living conditions are constantly under threat?
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edited by danae o.!
00:00 - intro
04:18 - the gen z experience
07:30 - collective trauma
12:17 - repression and humor
16:42 - hypervigilance and toxicity
19:20 - spectacle in media
26:13 - conclusion - healing trauma

[@Marta-vq8hz]

Didn’t the Starbucks barista say he was also a student? People who criticised him for saying an 8 hour shift is too much, forgot that he is basically doing 2 full time jobs with studying and working that stressful job. I feel like his stress is reasonable

[@drodlaren]

That level of work is inhumane!

[@harmonymercurio]

So true, it is not easy to work full time and be a full time student. Anyone who tries to brag that they can handle all of that must be on adderal or coke

[@itsLantik]

@@harmonymercurio They're likely just better equiped to deal with difficulties in life. Perhaps those people endured bad things but ultimately everyone experiences it at some point. When there's a will there's a way! I think that Starbucks barista might've not had the strongest will, but it could be a myriad of things (and yes obviously it's also inhumane).

[@kogorun]

They just cut corners both on the job and the education, something that's not always an option and depends on personal relations between the job superior and the university administration/teachers. Or it could be just plain old cheating at education. It seems to me that both avenues have been changed since 80s and it's now harder to both cheat and to find an employer that wouldn't be totally cynical about using the human resource.

[@TheSuperRatt]

@@itsLantik Since it's inhumane, let's try not to idolize and glorify it, while we're at it. You're making them out to be some kind of hero worth emulating, and that language perpetuates this abuse.

[@tjbarke6086]

Every generation is traumatized. And none of it is ever really taken seriously. But millennials and gen z are actually sort of gaining the real understanding necessary to confront it.

[@stephenkolostyak4087]

*blinks* throwing tantrums in public and demanding compensation for wasting other's time isn't how one handles trauma.

[@straneas3099]

​@@stephenkolostyak4087pretty sure some traumatized kids isn't likely to go out and drive the attention to them like this, what you described sound more like some old ugly ass Karen.

[@eider4469]

​@@stephenkolostyak4087mind if you elaborate on that?

[@lilymorgo3412]

Yeah true, they kind of are

[@potatoonastick4006]

@@eider4469 lmaoooo he ran away

[@craveliving681]

Fun fact (not fun): Trauma decreases your brain's tolerance to stress and trauma. Children have basically 0 stress/trauma tolerance because they're, ya know, children. Small thing seem huge. Through the support of their parents they build up a tolerance and coping mechanisms. If they're not, these children become adults with cptsd with much lower stress tolerance. They brains are literally, structurally changed. Trauma doesn't make you stronger. It literally makes you more susceptible to trauma. Today's world also STRONGLY affects this. Today's world literally goes against human nature. And that is stressful and, yes, traumatizing. Sure other generations had struggles, but they were still allowed to be human.

[@newuniverse2073]

I think the more religion (structured moral compass) leaves the chat, the less "human" we become. If I'm not mistaken, the human brain evolved to "create a God" to explain to itself what is the purpose of life. We are all.. ALL of us are still traumatized by it idk.

[@user-up1id5rv2m]

@@newuniverse2073 Ironically the most widespread abuse in humanity is religious indoctrination.

[@Anixar06]

​@@newuniverse2073Our brains are not structured to "create a god" we created gods to explain things we did not understand, people are becoming atheist because they found an explanation that is more logical to them, and the purpose of life is different for everybody and they don't necessarily need god to find it

[@suizilla]

what you say about trauma decreasing your brain's tolerance for stress and trauma is true. but your last sentence is false in that child abuse has existed for generations. there are good parents and bad parents in every generation. i'm absolutely not discounting that gen z has trauma. but older generations have it too, often worse, they just won't admit it! bad, violent parenting used to be even MORE common. it's people (not all) in newer generations that are trying to change those patterns. it is flat out false to say that older generations were "still allowed to be human". especially if you were a person of color / already marginalized.

[@titaniumcranium3755]

I think that happened to me. Being emotionally neglected made me feel like I have no emotion and when I do they feel unreal or untrustworthy as if someone else was thinking these thoughts for me and I'm just watching like a call of duty spectator

[@ElizabethVass]

I think everyone is traumatized a lot, Gen Zs are just unpacking it, not being silent about it and not suppressing it further more.

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

If everyone is traumatized, then no one is traumatized

[@inkpasta]

@@RaptorFromWeegee bro what the fuck

[@afellowpotato]

@@RaptorFromWeegee If all human exist than no humans exist

[@AC-ri2ph]

@@RaptorFromWeegee that's a lie. As long as you're on this earth you are going to be traumatized. It is inevitable and a passage of life. Life is cruel and full of pain and suffering. It's supposed to be bc it's designed that way. Way more pain than pleasure. If everyone in the world had allergies, it doesn't suddenly mean everyone canceled each other out. Like no, everyone still has their allergies and still has to take their epipen

[@kogorun]

If everyone is breathing air, then nobody is breathing air.

[@tulip811]

I think most of us grew up in front of a screen and were seen as an annoyance by our parents

[@lunacavemoth]

unfortunately, this is a wise observation. many of my generation (millenials) grew up being ignored by parents or came home to empty homes after school. i was such a latch key kids. maybe you'd see mom all day on saturday. dad all day on sunday. i was one of the various families who grew up with both parents, at least. single parents were a thing, but not necessarily normal. or it wasn't talked about. Many kids of my generation, especially girls, grew up very angry against our mothers. TV told us to dye our hair and girls wanted blonde streaks and a belly ring. Mom said NO. So the girls said , "well when i have a daughter, i'm going to let her!" . I heard these arguments often between my girl friends and their mothers. I was a non rebellius teen in terms of looks. Eventually , as we got older, the conversations would now turn into "Well when i have a daughter, i'm going to let her date no matter if she's the age i am now!" (i did hear this various times). This is just my exprience as a woman. I can't speak for the men. However, i did see a large permisiveness of having children out of wedlock by the time I graduated highschool in 2008. Now , kids 10 years younger then me have 3 children from different mothers or fathers. I noticed those of my generation either chose not to have children, as in my case, to just not continue the human overpopulation , fears of the future and not to be negligent or helicopter parents, or to pass on mental health conditions that we figured out we had. Basically, to spare spawning gen Z. Alas, a sharp hatred and turn against the 80s reagonism and severe conservatism made many want a freer , liberal life. Gen Z is now the designer handbag equivalent of millenials who grew up seeing paris hilton carry a chihuahua in her purse. I'm so sorry for you all. Your trauma is valid.

[@sirenbratzdoll]

yikes truth

[@tulip811]

The worst thing when you had parents who were like "don't watch tv!" But then didn't do anything when you did😂

[@GryffindorPrefect101]

I also hate to admit it but it wasn't all bad growing up with technology. Got rid of a lot of boredom and loneliness

[@whatwhat9519]

​@@GryffindorPrefect101 I'm not that old to begin with but I wish I had the easy free (almost free) resources in my pocket that I could have used as a teenager. Instead of just crossing my fingers and hoping that the library has something

[@Bubblies005]

The lack of empathy people have for younger generations scares me frankly. No one should be shamed for feeling the way they do.

[@crimsonbladewielder1975]

It doesn’t help that some people (*ahem tiktok *) fake mental illnesses to get clout & attention

[@Bubblies005]

@@crimsonbladewielder1975 Doesn’t help that armchair psychologists (with no degree) judge children trying to cope with the world we live in.

[@MikeJones-ye6li]

​@Crimson Blade Wielder Self-diagnosis isn't faking a mental illness, dude. And Gen Z has more mental issues (i.e. ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, etc.) by an order of magnitude.

[@mckrackin5324]

Yes. Some behavior is so stupid that it should be shamed. They will never change until they are ashamed of what they are and what they do.

[@MikeJones-ye6li]

@mckrackin5324 That is the opposite of how that usually works dude. By shaming these people out of society, you're guaranteeing they come back with a grudge against you. And I'm with them, I think you're being a dick.

[@baddabingbaddaboom931]

I’m deleting this comment now. I don’t feel comfortable having this information posted anymore. Again, thank everyone for the well wishes and remeber that the younger generations DO face struggles, just not the same ones other generations have.

[@TriangleAnimations]

Thank you for this comment. I’m 14 and have suffered from a lot of similar experiences, primarily with my unstable relationship with my dad, sometimes him being, loving, sometimes neglectful, sometimes violent and abusive, telling me that I’m a slut and a whore and that I should kill myself before he does it for me and throwing things at me, even once leaving a massive scar on my arm. It hurts a lot to see all the fatherless behavior jokes and all the older generations dismissing Gen Z of being weak, I’m so sorry for all your suffering, and thank you for staying strong and reminding others we’re not alone in abuse and losing friends

[@juliancalero8012]

"Gen Z is soft" no, Gen Z has to inherit a dying earth and an ever degrading social system globally and still has some optimism that's driving them to fight for a brighter tomorrow and not giving in just yet unlike the weak and soft older generations who have succumbed to system and wants to drag the younger generations to do the same

[@god.loves.you.be.proud.]

Many people of all generations have gone through the same things. It is not to take away you experience. Sorry for your experience.

[@baddabingbaddaboom931]

@@god.loves.you.be.proud. I agree, but the ability to send hate toward people has drastically increased. Not to mention, the suicide rates and other mental illnesses/disabilities have also drastically increased amongst much of gen Z, making it more likely that you’ll befriend someone who struggles with it. It’s all a loop and gen Z is surrounded by it 24/7 due to the extensive use of social media (if that makes any sense)

[@god.loves.you.be.proud.]

@@baddabingbaddaboom931 I think the same. Social media is the root of all evil. The previous generations also faced many troubles but gen z has all these weird influencers who think clown/clownself is a valid gender, and all these people who fake did, Tourette's, adhd, autism. The older generation tends to bash the gen z without understanding that theyre literally teenagers, how else are they supposed to be....

[@Littledumbdumbclown]

Older generations has convinced themselves that going to war and getting PTSD is the only form of trauma and its honestly annoying.

[@GooseWithAPassport]

They even took years to link the two

[@iantaakalla8180]

And dismissed it by implying it was temporary shock

[@WarDragonOfTheLight]

I swear some boomers think life is one of those 80s action movies with buffs dudes that do nothing but shoot away the problem.

[@zachiga]

One comment that pushed me so wrong was someone told me “this generation has it easier than any other generation.” I’d like to argue that is completely incorrect as we are taking so many steps in the wrong direction with everything except for war. We see things like economy getting worse, paid workers are worth less and less every day. While the western world stays out of combat for the most part, we see the eastern world in some much violence that nobody wants besides the upper heads of a country.

[@amandam1114]

And even then it gets worn like some weird badge of honor. My boomer dad dismisses my trauma through the "no true Scotsman" fallacy. And thinks we don't know what hard work is despite working my ass off for barely affording rent.

[@SpaghettiDog86.]

Boomer: “But my child is fine” Gen Z child: I wanna die

[@augustuslunasol10thapostle]

@@banquetoftheleviathan1404 genZ born to boomers here…. They both look young though its not obvious they are boomers.

[@StomeAura]

gen z parents are gen x, which are basically exactly like boomers, except they're already proficient in using electronics.

[@fluffyth3f0x8]

ACTUALLY MEE 😂😂😂

[@Trixiesongzxoxo]

I'm a gen Z but my parents are Millineals so 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@hippyhopohskippydop5792]

Coping with humor yippie

[@no-do4pv]

Alot of people need to realise that just because someone has it worse than you does not make your problems invalid.

[@sir_vaughn2018]

This is what keeps mine suppressed because im like Theres people that literally don’t have a home and no food so I should just deal with it yk

[@notsohuman9846]

this comment alone is enough to make me cry. 😭

[@Jesper_Fox]

And what does "worse" in this context mean anyway? There isn't exactly a "worse" than someone else when it comes to pain because everyone experiences pain differently!

[@vitamingnome]

Yes that's very true but it also gives perspective and makes me grateful my struggles aren't a lot worse. It's still humbling. Seeing someone get murdered is a lot different than seeing an amicable divorce happen. Both are valid but let's be real. I'd rather have an amicable divorce than see someone get murdered.

[@leahschuetz5621]

I feel like what a lot of people don’t get when they complain about gen z or any generations trauma is that they invalidate their trauma. I feel like people only see the most extreme forms of trauma and consider anything lower than that as not valide trauma. For example, my mom’s first marriage was abusive, I was sexually harassed by two men in my life. My mom’s first husband legit put a gun to her head once. My second harasser was a 22 year old coworker who knew I was 16, but I didn’t say anything because when the first guy harassed I told my parents about it they just laughed and said “that means he likes you”. While both of our traumatic experiences are horrible, I would say my mom’s was a bit worse. She legit had to sleep in the same bed as the guy who threatened to kill her. However, that doesn’t invalidate my trauma in the slightest. Trauma is a cruel constant cycle society. When we invalidate or ignore someone’s trauma we allow that cycle to continue to the next generation. I’m not saying that everyone who says they’ve be traumatized is legit traumatized, but before you make that judgement, listen to them and try to understand why they consider this to be trauma and how it has made them feel.

[@thekoi171]

"Trauma is not a contest" - a wise man

[@maggiedavis97]

right, don't play misery poker😂

[@RumiCatty]

Thank you, these are wise words!

[@uhh-nf2jf]

preach.

[@iamnotawellknownperson]

It’s real. Learn more.

[@Huntanor]

I cried all night about my shitty job. I went in and froze for an hour. When boss came and demaned I start work. I dropped my keys on the desk, walked away and cried outside an hour. Then I went back in made it clear I was quitting and went home. Im 45. Its normal to be hurt by misuse, bad treatment effects everyone. My gen and the boomers sometimes act like acting okay with misuse is a solution. It just hurts you more, pain leaks and turns into anger that twists to attack your innovent loved ones. You cant eat pain. It always comes out.

[@wildmoonchild8210]

I'm gen Z, I feel hyper aware of the way my employer treats me. Not sure if it's all of us, but if my manager tries to work me too hard, I have no hesitation in quitting and finding a new job. I'm only 19, but I've heard horror stories of my friends' managers taking advantage of them because they are young with not a lot of work experience

[@psychoticschmitz7867]

I find it interesting that some people will shame and ridicule people for not knowing how to handle the realities of work when it's clear those people were never shown what to expect or given coping mechanisms to handle it That to me is much more frustrating then 12 hour shifts of utter BS. It's so out of touch it almost leads me to believe that those people have some kind of mental disability.

[@stephenkolostyak4087]

@@wildmoonchild8210 being "worked hard" is not the same thing as being exploited, not by any means.

[@wildmoonchild8210]

@stephenkolostyak4087 Tell that to my multiple injuries due to working too hard. I'm not making enough money in retail to put my body at risk like that again. Also, when I say managers take advantage of my friends, I mean that they are not allowing them to have any breaks for 8 hour shifts. This has happened to my one friend at multiple jobs.

[@thepress1790]

What do you do

[@ErutaniaRose]

So many older people (the ones who defend this insanity) will basically argue, "You need to grow up--I suffered and endured having no human rights and going to war! Grow up!" Like...bro. Why would you WANT someone else to suffer like you did??? Did y'all forget that you said you want your kids to have a better life than you? THEN STOP BEING PISSY WHEN THEY DO. Trauma is NOT a competition and should not be compared! The whole point is to make things better for everyone, and people's problems change depending on the times and their situations. I swear...those people are the ones that need to grow up and accept help (therapy) if they can get it.

[@eajaros]

People who compete with trauma are unhealed and potentially dangerous

[@jayramirez5379]

I think when they say grow up it doesn’t mean that they want you suffer, adversity creates character when you are able to over come tragedy you will grow as a person. Life as always been difficult since the beginning of time and it will continue to be difficult but don’t get discourage just keep pushing

[@summero-my5in]

Boomers don’t care about their kids having better lives, they were all passed down money and skills to keep/make money from their parents but they don’t bother giving their kids those same resources

[@ZentaBon]

@@jayramirez5379 that's something I understand. But at the same time in the past we also weren't afraid to eliminate unnecessary suffering. We fought hard to make sure children wouldn't be forced to work in mines breathing black coal dust into their lungs because nobody told them it was harmful or they simply didn't have a choice. We fought hard for weekends as well. We shouldn't be preserving unnecessary worries and unnecessary suffering...so we can continue progressing. I get it's upsetting to see some who become entitled but I assure you most people don't have to hunt their own food and it doesn't make them worse off because of it. We should strive for less on everyone's plates which means more time to create artwork, share stories, laugh. We should be striving for less to worry about so we can enjoy being that one species who can make really cool things, and make art, enjoy family, without worry. We shouldn't artificially cause suffering when we have the means to end it because we're afraid of what will happen if we don't.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

Sadly they deny they have it. Even mock you for expressing that you are suffering as a result of their actions. You'll get questions from them, "You don't want to be crazy, right?". Frankly at that point I wanna answer, "You made me one."...

[@domloveart]

I hate how trauma is basically compared and belittled by older generations. Like no one said you weren't a victim as well, my love 🤨

[@cottage-core_]

+

[@kiseichuuyu]

Yeah, they treat it as a competition to win how much worse they had it, and for what? To be pitied more? They keep saying, “don’t pity me!” But then they flaunt it out and then expect you to shut up about your own stuff and coddle THEM, for their shit?????? Bruh, the mental gymnastics they don’t even realize they’re doing

[@bill4514]

I think part of the issue is that at least for older men they were never allowed to express pain or sadness or things like that it was acceptable for parents teachers nuns to hit kids and that was just life for them and they learned to bottle it up to the point where they can't allow others to express emotions

[@catsaregreat6314]

Exactly I hate how older people bring up the trauma they’ve gone through but pretend doesn’t effect them to make you feel small for yours. Like everyone’s trauma is valid. Just because some old person thinks that because their trauma is “worse” doesn’t change the fact that my trauma is having my disabilities hid from me until I was almost a teen and growing up thinking I was just pathetic, stupid, lazy, a failure, “weird”, etc. and having really bad issues with confidence my entire life for not being able to do shit other kids were doing.

[@manictiger]

As a gen y, I dislike people wanting pity, in general. I don't mind lending an ear if I think someone will get better over time, and I'll even tell them that it'll get better, even if they don't believe it at the time. (Seen it work.) But... histrionic behavior is unwanted. I don't have time to throw away on people that won't improve and don't want to at all. This is a collapsing empire. We are entering a dark age. Handle it. I'll be there to loot you, if you can't.

[@hurt420]

As someone who is gen z I’m not just traumatized *I’m horrified*

[@SJursa-ey4tt]

disgusted, even

[@joosbug]

Petrified even?

[@fakefaith4187]

​@@Mentobrowhat

[@vinestaff]

@@joosbugcold, hard, petrified

[@F3rn-th3-silly-irl]

​​@@vinestafflock the doors close the blinds, we're going for a ride! :D [also homestuck pfp!!!! >_

[@adrianna3501]

I feel that the parents of Gen z just never taught us how to deal with these constant stresses because they didn't have or avoided those problems themselves.

[@jaimecostello1767]

Your feeling is unfairly blanketing all parents of gen z and it's disheartening. Why must we all be victim to your judgment blanket. My child's father and I are gen x to a gen z 15 year old, and not only are we doing the best job we can, so is everyone I know. Please ... I think the blame on the parents is unfair. It's not our fault that events beyond our control are happening and many of us are good people who are doing the best that we can. And if gen z is resilient and special and smart just like I believe they are, think about the parents that raised them. We're not boomers. I wish people would stop throwing the Gen X and millennials parents under the bus. That's traumatic too

[@spamme.]

It's a cycle. If you ever have kids, you're gonna want them to think that you're strong. To think that they won't have traumatic experiences. You're gonna want to wait until they're mature enough to know that we're all falling apart. But eventually, they will. It's horrible, but there's really no way to keep your family completely safe, especially safe from the truth.

[@ericdale4641]

The problem is your generation is on the wrong end of a failed experiment in unfettered access to social media for children. On paper, you've grown up wealthier and with more advanced technology than any generation before, but in practice you are far more depressed than your predecessors. Why? You've collectively talked yourselves into it. You sit in an echo chamber and you'll eventually believe it, especially if you're being told what you want to hear. The hard truth is that those people redefining the word "trauma" for you are selling you something. They are the tip of the spear for a therapy and pharmaceutical industry and political establishment that profits and remains in power by convincing you that you're helpless. "Trauma" isn't simply bad experiences. Witnessing the death of a loved one is trauma. Being shot at is trauma. Being yelled at by your boss in a service job is just a bad day. These things are normal and will happen throughout your life. Accept it and make the best of it because that's all a person can do. And for God's sake, quit being so easily manipulated by social media.

[@catheath2858]

I think it's more that we also never learned to deal with the constant stresses and issues either - at least not in a healthy way - and nor was there really space for us to do anything other than suck it up either. "Whatever" was one big expression of sucking up endless shit.

[@stephenkolostyak4087]

your assertion incredibly insightful. a younger person who does not have a frame of reference on how to address environmental factors can have a difficult time handling whatever is going on.

[@formerbabyfutureghost]

Prior generations being forced to be “tougher” and suppressing their emotions is (I think) a larger reason why all of their children are traumatized in the first place (I’m a millennial but applicable to both millennials and Gen z)

[@piroshk1968]

this is so spot on.. my folks had these beliefs (tough love, pretty much just straight up abuse disguised as doing you a service by harsh discipline) and being brainwashed into a mindset of blocking out any and every negative emotion for the comfort of others will kill your soul.

[@paris283]

^^ , both are so true. I feel like it’s one of the main reasons why.

[@Tom_HopeCore]

bro I'm gen-z and this is so dumb. Like bro name one problem that literally every generation has not dealed with. Yeah

[@victor_mutt]

They did allow us to live better than they did, however are surprised when we don’t have that emotional repression skill they did, because they treated us better than their parents did However blaming is easier than realizing reality

[@zoedwight5186]

I’d disagree with that take. I think that may be part of it but I think most of the problem is that people aren’t parenting their kids to be ready for the real world. A lot of these kids don’t know what to expect in the real world because they spent their time believing that everyone should value them and their feelings specifically. Thus when they get out in the world and realize that most people are not going to care about you more than they care about themselves, they don’t know what to do

[@cursedwithsetience4017]

I think a very important peice of this conversation is that our brains are doing what they're supposed to by encoding trauma. Technology has developed faster than our brains can evolve, and people are being punished for having an appropriate reaction to trauma. I mean, not even 500 years ago, if it smelled like a bear, looked like a bear, and sounded like a bear, you were already in a lot of danger. Stuble cues (triggers) kept our ancestors alive long before an actual threat was in front of them. I think an important part of societal healing will involve recognizing our evolutionary traits and working together to make a less traumatizing society, starting on a small community level.

[@sophieh.5193]

Great Video!

[@oculusquest2460]

Based

[@InNorwayIMaWitch]

True

[@joebro4846]

rah ree brow >:)

[@XOChristianaNicole]

Well stated.

[@TRIPPSKIP]

at 18 i have: - nearly lost my home due to severe flooding - suffered severe bullying for being "weird" and having "weird" interests - attempted suicide several times but was never able to do it - watched my mother go through opioid addiction - had two close family member deaths in two years of each other - diagnosed with generalized anxiety at 13 - thought i would never live to graduate high school - been in a long distance relationship with someone i based my whole life around, just for them to emotionally abuse me the last two years i knew them. many things they said and did have semi-permanently affected the way i see myself and the way i interact with others - seen irl gore and been exposed to sexual content way too young due to unrestricted internet access - was a "gifted kid" then suffered severe burnout in middle school, only to be diagnosed with adhd at 18 - was nearly groomed at least twice - talked people out of suicide - been sent uncensored self harm images from someone i thought was my friend - had several severe falling outs with people i once considered my closest friends (each one ended badly) - was raised to suppress emotions and was raised with the whole "stop crying before i give you something to cry about" mentality - narrowly avoided being outed to unsupportive family members several times - nearly lost my home due to extreme financial struggles this isn't about one-upping trauma and bad experiences. this is about something wrong with the gen-z experience. i have never met people with so many bad experiences and trauma as i have with other gen-z.

[@federiccobene]

I suggest you to become a songwriter, it helps

[@titaniumcranium3755]

Omg I'm the same age and I attempted many times as well but failed. I now struggle with having a brother who bothers minors so I numb myself with substances to not attempt again

[@posthistoricdino422]

seeing so many of those experiences line up with my own made my blood run cold

[@Cloudyhasasmoothbrain]

Although most of this stuff I never had to go through I have had to talk people out of suicide (one was even my past “partner”) I am so sorry this has all happened to you

[@billmurray6889]

I should apologize on behalf of your parents. They didn't raise you with the toolset to deal with your problems and now you're so convinced that your problems are worse than other peoples when the reality is other people just deal with their shit dude. The reason you don't know as many older people with bad experiences is because we aren't constantly telling everyone about it.

[@Pandaluvsgaming29]

I’m a Gen Z who has become a manager at my sandwich shop and I’m glad that I’ve been able to help my fellow coworkers feel more comfortable in their position even when the owner tries to tear them down. I am right there building them back up.

[@You-zb4xr]

You're a very sweet person and I'm sure they're all very thankful you have their backs

[@BlackoutGootraxian]

Gigachad

[@psychoticschmitz7867]

I just can't understand the mentality of the type of person who loves to shame people and tell them to "suck it up." The best answer I have is that those same people are bitter and never actually acquired healthy coping mechanisms to pass on to the people around them.

[@Pandaluvsgaming29]

@@psychoticschmitz7867 facts

[@KweenOfKonfusion]

As a GenZ who just became an adult recently, this reminds me of the single most accurate description of my generation that I've ever heard; We're a bunch of suicidal kids on top of a bridge, trying to convince each other it's not worth it to jump

[@doid4354]

describes my friend group in high school..

[@-toby-329]

Ah this hits hard. I'm 14 and I've been struggling with anxiety and depression for about 4 years now, I only recently got any form of help. Other than people on the internet, really says something about the adults in my life who were completely aware I was struggling :/ It sucks that most of us feel this way, and yet try to keep each other alive but I'm glad we still are.

[@ohshit4860]

yup

[@Tristan1886]

It's crazy like people my age talk about offing themselves so casually sometimes and so many smoke to take the stress away.

[@KichouKix]

yes unfortunately....

[@rosdawg]

I think the pandemic was really tough for a lot of kids in gen z specifically. people dont seem to understand that. years of social solitude and fear of infection on teenagers and children affects them in extremely invisible ways, not to mention the socialization mossed during those years. I truly feel like older people dont understand it

[@kruggyy]

I’m glad you mentioned this and I’m in that boat right now. I’ve been at home for three years while doing community college. I don’t have friends. Being social has become really hard for me. Even just talking to an employee at a store makes me shake and get anxious. All my social skills went out the window because of COVID and I’ve missed so many opportunities that could have made me a happier person. I just got so used to being on my own in my room. I’ll be going to a 4-year in the fall so I’m hoping that it’ll go well and I’ll make some good friends on campus.

[@spopr2440]

the pandemic and all the lockdowns were the best time of my life, I had so much time, I slept better and I was overall a happier person

[@sleeparalysisdemon1164]

Yeah, almost 1-2 years I spent inside my house without anyone my age to talk to And now I'm too obsessed with murder cases, got social anxiety/ just straight up forgot how to talk, got more violent and unstable as time went on, have trust issues, don't have any motivation to do anything, started a yt channel only to abandon it due to the lack of motivation, forgot how emotions works or just straight up don't care about it anymore, having to deal with my parents who think I'm a mistake the whole time Now I also have to deal with the stress of being in the "good class" with homeworks burrying me alive I think I might go insane if I wasn't already am

[@babufrik7051]

For me it wasn't even that bad, I liked the masks, bc they would cover my face and I honestly didn't care about the other people, I almost forgot them sometimes, I was just genuinely just much happier than in school. But bc of that, school was horror for me after the lockdown got ended, insecurties got worse, social anxiety and anxiety at all and stuff like that.

[@iLaughLol]

The entire lockdown was not only the best time of my life, but also the most social I've ever been.

[@abbyj2783]

Its this kind of struggle that makes me worried for the next generation. I'm an old Gen Z, just barely meeting the arbitrary start date for the label. I've recently started teaching at an elementary school and most of the teachers that work there are Gen X, being around 40 or older. It bothered me how often a teacher would disregard a child's crying, accusing them of being purposely dramatic or seeking attention. I was a child that cried easily when I was in elementary school, and I remember developing an embarrassment and frustration over my tears. I didn't want people to think I was faking it, so I would try to force myself to stop, getting mad at myself and only crying more as I got worked up. It wasn't until I got older that I learned the proper steps to calm oneself down; steady breaths, taking a break/removing oneself from the situation, or counting. It bothered me that so few of these teachers were even attempting to teach these kids how to deal with their emotions. They only asked them to repress it and get over it, making the child feel like crying was against the rules and something they would be punished over. I always attempted to ask the kid what was wrong, show them how to breathe, and offer them a space to escape to while making sure they knew I was available if they needed anything. The only other teacher I know that tries to help students with their emotional development is around my age (technically in the millennial generation). Even the special Ed teachers will disregard a student's feelings. It makes all the posters around the school that say things like "You matter" aren't really represented.

[@bellakatearts]

you sound like a great teacher.

[@uwuCaleism]

I will say, teachers are getting better about the crying thing, usually. Probably because theyre so understaffed they can relate lmao but everytime I had to cry they let me vibe in the hall til I collected myself. But yeah, overall I agree. And to top it off, the roles at the moment are incredibly backwards. The children are often the ones walking their parents through their mental breakdowns and big emotions, rather than the parents for their children. It’s incredibly sad. I do look forward to how these gens fix the errors, from what I could tell we’re already starting to find an alright way to parent our kids. At least were getting there emotionally, next step is finding the right amount of discipline.

[@flowerfieldofdaisies]

i genuinely wish u were one of my teachers when i was younger :(

[@dumbdeerthing]

Boomer: You kids are just lazy Gen Z: Literally myself and everyone I know fantasize about blowing our brains out

[@seashellguy9416]

me personally i think about drinking 1 liter of chemicals for the kitchen and bathroom

[@HA-nj1qt]

Not mutually exclusive.

[@namenotfound0]

its like the older generation constantly talk about how they wanted to give the next generation an easier life but at the same time continue to belittle the next generation for “having it easy”

[@ab.6573]

I mean they fulfilled their promise. They give us computers, calculators, internet, place to sleep, food, and much more.

[@polybian_bicycle]

A human needs suffering to grow.

[@kungszigfrids1482]

Never has anyone belittled me for having it easy. I guess I am good at explaining the problems.

[@kx7500]

@@ab.6573 meh. They also worsened things more than they fixed, however you can’t blame a generation when 99% of people haven’t even been in power of the system we live under. It’s a small elite that influences the masses.

[@kungszigfrids1482]

@ferret No it is not luck. It is me having spent a considerable ammount of time learning to be charismatic and learning many philosophies and how to present myself and my ideas.

[@TheLordSheogorath]

I am a millenial, and I have never faced more kindness or understanding than from generation Z. It's funny but I turned to them for encouragement instead of my boomer parents.

[@sunnymoon3771]

Wow so true!! I'm millennial too and feeling the same.

[@glittr4brainzz]

lmfaooo real, i became like so depressed and i felt like i had gone through a lot. but i turned that trauma into something i can use to help and understand people. and eventually i become the therapist friend. i found comfort in helping other people. even when i was in pain, i would seek for people who were in pain, like me- more or less.

[@tombailey1059]

Trauma means as much to Gen Z as The Beatles meant to Baby Boomers. "Where were you when you realized you could monetize your own insecurity?" Talking about mental health on the internet has created a monster of self-indulgence, performative empathy, and social contagion.

[@mandielou]

​​@@glittr4brainzz that's groomer, abuser type behavior. Not saying you are but it's concerning. When you're upset, you seek out young ones, who are in pain and vulnerable, so they'll confide in you and make you feel better?

[@glittr4brainzz]

@@mandielou im 14. 💀💀that could be groomer behavior, but i genuinely did turn my own pain into a tool to understand those around me that need help, so they dont have to feel as alone as i did. like, essentially turning into the person that i needed- for other people? i do sound like a groomer, dont i. shit- perhaps i learned it from those around me since i was groomed almost my entire life-? i never thought about that.

[@ka-12halynaivanyshyn83]

I am a Ukrainian teenager and I can definitely tell, that most of my friends refuse to understand how traumatic our war experience is. We’re keep dating, going out, chilling, getting tattoos like it’s no rockets outside. My hypothesis is that for our mental health it’s easier not to see, how much it has been damaged

[@realcopoolman]

Yeah only thinking about it makes your state far worse.... Just try to have a normal life everything should be okay in the end. слава Україні

[@thecreature916]

Hope your doing well, dude.

[@HomersIlliad]

That emotional baggage probably won't be unpacked until after the war ends.

[@seashellguy9416]

as another ukrainian, i can agree with the statement that you are currently making.

[@soulangela7154]

Stay safe, friend.

[@moonieistired7263]

I’m Gen-Z, still in high school too In my lifetime, I’ve: -Become a pocket therapist for both my parents -been in a school lockdown 3 times because of gun threats -Talked people (and myself) out of suicide multiple times -Been yelled at to stop crying before I was given something to cry about -Been told that I was overreacting when I was overstimulated or triggered It’s not normal for people to want to die, to hate themselves so much that they want to just disappear. Most of Gen-Z can relate to this one way or another so we lean on each other. We’re not soft, we’re aware of what’s happening and are horrified of the nose dive

[@melisabunjaku1913]

I remember once in a bakery I ordered a cake and I paid for it and sat down and waited for it to be ready. Unfortunately, there were no more of those cakes left and the waitress was kind of a little bit panicked and was telling me she was so sorry. It wasn't even a big deal to me, I would just get another cake with the same price or not even get one, who the fuck cares? I calmed her down and told her it was okay, because it really was, I had no problem with it. What struck me was how the immediate reaction to that situation, without it being her fault at all, was straight up anxiety. People shouldn't have to deal with constantly living on edge and scared of every single mistake. But sadly, it's the reality of today. I felt so bad for her at that moment and maybe she'll be fine or whatever but it really surprised me how much scared she was over that mistake and how on constant anxiety those young workers around the same age as me must go through every single fucking day.

[@returnoftheromans6726]

I had a similar experience at an Olive Garden. A waiter had accidentally bumped into my younger sister, and she ended up spilling her boxed food. It was an accident, and she was fine. He immediately started apologizing, and his eyes were literally wide in terror as he looked at my dad, as if he expected to be berated for an accident. I had been a waitress and knew what stress you go through, you have to keep going with your tables; the show must go on. I immediately told him that it was fine, he was good, and he could go back to his tables. He scurried away, but I felt bad that he fully expected to wait there while someone yelled at him. I hope he is doing well.

[@chickenpermission1671]

As someone in that situation often, we’re used to feeling that way. It’s actually pretty offputting (in a good way) when someone actually responds reasonably. We’re told that as customer service workers we have to apologize profusely even if it’s actually the customers fault. It really fills you with deep seeded rage.

[@melisabunjaku1913]

@@chickenpermission1671 yeah the “customer is always right” policy is pretty unhealthy. Sometimes people mess up and that person could be a waiter/waitress, worker, someone who fixes your home appliances or whatever. It’s fine. People just forget to understand that everyone deals with problems and struggle financially and the job they’re having makes them feel secure and at least financially supported to some level. It’s sad that it seems offputting when people do a very simple, bare minimum thing which is decency and understanding.

[@cookiecat7759]

@@returnoftheromans6726 thats horrible

[@hotkfclover6169]

Yes! I worked on KFC as teen. I was pretty good with my emotion and all, but mostly there was literally children omg. And everyone (adult or those teens who never had a job) was shouting at every "sorry, we don't have that kind of chicken rn, wait 5 min please" or other small things. Stuff should be SO sorry for EVERYTHING, doesn't matter if it's their or client's fault (I mean why they were expect us having 40+ wings ready for them or smtg), they should deal with bad words or bad mood, but when it's just too much, they're patethic. Yeah, sure.

[@isabelyoung1744]

it literally blows my mind that people were laughing at that starbucks worker. i have anxiety and work in a cafe that had significantly less traffic than a starbucks, and I still experience that panic spiral. I can't imagine how horrible it must be for them. anyone laughing at them obviously hasn't worked a service job because that video made me want to cry

[@prettyhatemachinexoxo]

then get a new job???

[@summerwolf7197]

@@prettyhatemachinexoxo tell me your out of touch without telling me your out of touch

[@isabelyoung1744]

@@prettyhatemachinexoxo what did you think you did here... I actually love my job overall, my anxiety just makes it difficult in ANY service job. I was just sympathizing with the person in the video and saying that I completely understand the emotional turmoil they must be going through, and that it's really horrible for people online to be making fun of them.

[@pure.9484]

@@prettyhatemachinexoxo well, it's not like we're in the middle of pandemic and war, there'll be an economic ressecion and that stuff, yeah, obviously ma pal can easily get a job. thank you for ur great advice :D

[@rogersepeda4378]

I would trade places with this person in a heart beat , I had to live in my car , work 80 hour work week just to stay afloat. So this is a trans man , well he should start acting like a man , a man doesn’t cry especially on camera on how hard it is , we figure a solution out and we keep moving forward. All that crying ain’t going to resolve anything. Sorry but it takes more than facial hair to be considered a man .

[@NyxInMysteryLand]

Sweet Zoomers, I’m sorry. I’m a 32 year old millennial, and I genuinely worry for you because growing up today feels so scary. Your exposure to predatory entities on social media, etc alone is fucking awful. Millennials got dragged by our god damn baby hairs for the way we responded to our trauma. I’m so sorry you’re suffering. It seems even harder for you guys. I support you all. You’re valid, you’re valuable, and I’m so proud of all of you for being vocal.

[@soulangela7154]

I don't think us zoomers have it worse or better than millennials, it just sucks when you're going through hardship and/or trauma and someone somewhere feels the need to put you down or one-up you and say "get the fuck over it". That just sucks no matter what generation you are. But I want to thank you millennials as we have learned from you. We are able to be more vocal because of millennials.

[@KyraTheStrangeAndUnusual]

As a member of Gen-Z I have a very interesting relationship with empathy. I have so much and I care so *deeply* and *viscerally* about other people. However at the same time I have so much *Hate* constantly festering, and anger and hurt that I don’t feel like I can express for fear of being shamed for it by the older people around me as well as my own peers. I am a teenager with ridiculous hormones and severe mood swings. I shouldn’t have to be afraid of my own feelings.

[@OGZurie]

As a grandmother to a 'gen z'r" I'm really very grateful for your message here. I am so tired of ppl my age seemingly both forget what it's like to grow up and refuse to acknowledge the wreckage we've left behind. Fwiw, you can find references to "this generation is soft and doesn't want to work " dating back to the 1800s lmao...They said it about me, they'll say it about your kids. It's never been true tho

[@nxcrorat]

Thank you so much, your comment feels really validating

[@OGZurie]

@@nxcrorat im so glad to hear that 💜 hugs from Detroit!

[@Anonymous-54545]

More than the 1800s, I think Socrates complained about it too lol.

[@victor_mutt]

Thank you for your empathy, I wish you the best

[@mameemia]

meemaw speaks factz. i love you!1

[@TeaghanYoung]

The video of the barista from Starbucks made me cry😢 that’s exactly how I felt working for Starbucks!! I was a part time employee and was being made to work 40-50 hour weeks with no additional pay or benefits. It was horrible. We had a manager that would schedule you for only 4am opening shifts if you pissed her off. I was stalked by a customer for months, had my assistant manager start to file the paperwork to have him banned, that same manager threw the paperwork in the trash. She said that she wouldn’t ban him because “he’s a regular”. It was one of the most dehumanizing jobs I’ve ever worked and it was genuinely traumatizing. One of my co workers had an entire venti coffee thrown on them by an angry customer, resulting in severe burns. LATE STAGE CAPITALISM IS TRAUMATIZING AS FUCK

[@elliotsangestevez]

we really gotta send love to starbucks workers and all workers in the service industry bc u really get traumatized regularly for minimum wage. i had a dude scream death threats at me and my boss while packing cupcakes once. it is Not ok

[@closetgremlinnamedace]

[@parkchimmin7913]

Definitely resonate with the barista in the video as well. While I don’t work egregiously long hours, my job took (and it still does) a toll on mental health. I work as a grocery store cashier. Ever since I got there, my anxiety kept getting worse and worse. I can’t even step into the same grocery store without feeling like shit. I always feel overstimulated from the bright lights, loud noises, and the huge crowds of people scare me. I’ve been told by my parents and sister that I’m weak and overdramatic for having multiple panic attacks there (still feel embarrassed about it).

[@TeaghanYoung]

@@parkchimmin7913 first, I’m so sorry that your family is so dismissive of what you’re going through! You are not weak and you are not over dramatic. The stress of being over stimulated is real and has a major effect on our bodies. Second, These jobs shouldn’t be like this!! One place I worked at got a CD (yeah a fucking CD IN 2014) every 3 months with a bunch of shitty top 40’s tracks. The playlist wasn’t very long so it would loop every 2-3 hours and it genuinely felt like torture lol. Don’t even get my started on CHRISTMAS MUSIC😤 fluorescent lighting, loud beeping sounds that you can’t turn off, not being allowed to sit while working an 8 hour shift, all of this shit needs to stop! when I went to the Netherlands I was shocked at how service work is treated there. Grocery store cashiers get chairs, the lights aren’t overly bright or crazy, they have designated shopping hours for the elderly and those with disabilities, you don’t tip servers because they just, make a living wage! I still want to have stores and coffee shops and movie theatres but I dont want the people working at those places to be suffering for me to get that service.

[@parkchimmin7913]

@@TeaghanYoung Exactly! When we want customer service workers to get better pay and treatment, we’re suddenly “demanding too much” from business. 🤷‍♀️ If you can’t afford to pay your employees livable wages maybe you shouldn’t be running your business in the first place. We should also enact laws that protect customer service workers from harassment and mistreatment too.

[@vlander1992able]

as a millennial I can tell you that we got the same things said to us growing up, people have just made your generation the new punching bag. You are working just as hard as my generation and the generations that came before, don't let people trying to make you feel like shit for wanting a better life or conditions.

[@urdad8445]

A message to older generations, things change, things get passed on, people hit breaking points, as generations go on you have to let that generation grow. gen z is raised by 3 older generations that have struggled and now gen z will face struggles. Gen z sensitivity is a powerful thing. Sensitivity is the best weapon against oppression and mistreatment.

[@isdrakon9802]

Sensitivity can go two ways, how it did with me, losing it and giving way to apathy, or it can turn someone into a kinder person. I hope I'm a fringe case

[@seriesexplained8009]

As a gen z myself, I want to say to the old folk... Your ways were better

[@jenrosejenrose7417]

I'm 50. Solidly GenX. I have a Millennial kid, a GenZ kid and a kid on the cusp of GenZ and whatever comes next. So I've been watching closely what kids have been going through for a long time. GenZ has it BAD. You work harder, for less, with less hope, less future, more stress, more scrutiny. When I was 20, I screwed up by the numbers but my every movement wasn't cataloged online to be dissected forever. There was enough of a social safety net that I was able to take some time to recover from trauma. I was able to have three kids, buy a house, stay at home with my kids. We have no student loans, my husband retired early. My almost 30-year-old kid is struggling with the idea of buying a house in a market where wages have maybe doubled since we bought a specific house in 2003 that was then worth 130,000. And now? It could be sold for 400,000. My ten year old wants to be a youtuber when he grows up and I don't know how to explain to him that it is entirely possible the platform will not exist in a way that it is possible to live on that when he's ready to start working. And like heck am I letting him start making public content as a minor. GenX had a hell of a lot to deal with. I don't know anyone who wasn't traumatized. But it's not a pissing contest. Trauma is trauma. We spent GenZ's entire life at war. Then pandemic, and now we're back to nukes? I remember being 12 and absolutely certain there would be a nuclear war. But the Berlin Wall came down, you know?

[@Financiallyfreeauthor]

I’m 40 and my six year old son wants to be a youtuber. I haven’t been able to explain to him the real reasons I say no. He claims classmates have KZbin accounts but to me not only is it him being a child but also seeing how much mental strain KZbinrs deal with.

[@N0N4ME06]

@@Financiallyfreeauthor well, don't forbid your kid to experiment. Of course 10 is a very young age, but as soon as the kid gets older there is nothing wrong with letting him try. The youth has too feel whats right or wrong to them. As soon as they try they will see if they really enjoy it or not. And nobody says they have to do it full time. Allowing it as a hobby is a good compromise.

[@blackbird8561]

@@Financiallyfreeauthor I would recommend that at some point (when they're responsible enough) allow your kid to post to youtube, but explain that it may not get the view they think it will. explain not to show their face, never using their full name, never revealing their exact age, and being careful with what is posted. if you do let them create an account, it's very easy to subscribe and monitor what they're posting. and if your kid doesn't understand enough, don't let them make an account. this is just in the case that they do

[@Financiallyfreeauthor]

@@N0N4ME06 Thanks for your insight. My little guy is actually 6 right now! So when he's older I'll be able to have a conversation with him about it.

[@starling1226]

@@Financiallyfreeauthor I support you in your concern. And I think there should be more time thinking about it. Not because of stress, but if he posts stuff that he might regret later and it’s still on the internet to be seen by future employers. At least heavily monitor what he will be posting.

[@julianabradfordmusic]

The reason people are uncomfortable with people expressing their emotions and stresses, is because they haven’t worked through their own traumas and emotions. People were darned if they did or darned if they didn’t and that still applies today. Gaslighting and toxic shame are the major ones.

[@dragonlordsaviour7005]

I have never admitted of trying to commit sewercide,there have been times when i was just one step away from ending it all but thankfully i wasn't stupid enough to do it. I lost my grandpa to liver cirrhosis,honestly it was painful seeing him suffer then within a month i lost my grandma all of a sudden,i loved her more than anyone i couldn't sleep properly for several months,scenes kept playing in a loop. Both my parents are in more pain than me but they will never admit it to me or anyone else.

[@shrin210]

Yup, you are totally right. I want to roast/bully this guy for venting out in social media and not with his family or friends. Also, i want to roast bcoz i also have my trauma, stress and depression i cannot express😑 If these are the state of GenZ (as a GenZ myself) and they can't even handle themselves, i don't even know how will they handle problems of closer ones, families etc. 😑😑

[@luxinvictus9018]

For Gen Z, that's amplified by the internet. Earlier, you risked facing the mockery of friends and family. Now you find your shame and mistakes immortalized forever and mocked relentlessly world over.

[@nicbarth3838]

@@shrin210 your self aware that's one silver lining maybe there is some more, I felt the same judgment it only makes me sad how much others me included psychologically quarantine ourselves from the first couple of years that we have learned and been told how to be by those who learned it from a set of ideologies that mask insecurity instead of from their own being in the world.

[@PareliusC]

Millennial here and its been a long road from my worst in my mid 20's. Its taken me a long time to come to terms with the trauma of being undiagnosed with autism, having ADHD and not being socialized as as child all the while not understanding why I could never fit in with most people or live up to people's expectations.

[@metalgear6531]

Ah, so you too had to play that game of social minesweeper until you finally realized what was going on. I'm proud of you for making it as far as you have.

[@atonofspiders]

"Social Minesweeper" so relatable

[@MakusinMeringue]

@@metalgear6531I keep hitting mines. My entire life. Uninstalled Social Minesweeper and I play Social Tic-Tac-Toe instead.

[@seriesexplained8009]

As a gen z with autism and adhd who never took medication or had specialised care... There is nothing that gives you a greater edge in the world. I am an avid capitalist, not in spite of my autism and in spite of being gen z, but because of it

[@iamnotawellknownperson]

@@seriesexplained8009I didn’t think there was medication for Autism. This is strangely making me hopeful!

[@normalhuman9878]

3:05 this is so important for everyone to hear! My dad was an army soldier in Iraq and saw fairly limited combat. In his mind, he had it easier than a lot of other soldiers. This lead him to delay seeking treatment when he began showing symptoms of PTSD and even today he still tries to ignore what happened

[@user-kv7mb5he1y]

😊

[@miilkyystars]

"Trauma is not a diagnosis, trauma is when your body, mind, or emotional state endures significant stress." THANK YOU OH MY GOD Side note: there is also CPTSD which is Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, meaning that it's a lot of smaller instances of stress that regularly happen and take place over a course of time and they add up into PTSD. You can have both.

[@Clowncentral101]

That’s what I have thank you for acknowledging it so many people don’t understand it or even know what it is it’s like ptsd but way fucking worse

[@cosmo588]

@@Clowncentral101 we can definitely quantify trauma based on the severity of the event or multiple events. However, as someone who has CPSTD, I don’t think it’s wise to say it’s “worse”. Particular if it pertains to children. Trauma is trauma, and every individual has their own subjective experience dealing with the bad things in life. When I was younger, although I’ve always been empathetic, I found it hard to relate to some of my peers and friends personal issues. Because to me, what I was dealing with was so all consuming and disturbing that I couldn’t grasp how any of them could complain. I’ve come to understand that stress does not discriminate between what is bad and what is really bad. You just need remember that you can’t ever possibly know what someone may actually be experiencing in their own mind.

[@Clowncentral101]

@@cosmo588 it’s a fact that trauma hits harder when it occurs both repeatedly and in childhood. It affects the developing brain on a deeper level and does more damage. While your main point holds true, my logic is sound.

[@razzledazzledorito6552]

I just have to mention that CPTSD doesn’t occur with “small instances of stress” because that’s misinformed. It’s when you experienced trauma over a prolonged period of time and develop PTSD due to constant exposure to high levels of stress and cortisol release. Which can then develop into Complex Post Traumatic Stress. This would be for instance someone who goes through abuse for a long period of time and thus develops CPTSD.

[@RosemaryBo1991]

As someone with PTSD that woman was PREACHING

[@cascademirrors8749]

Small things like the death of a pet are trauma. Trauma can literally range from loss of a pet to neglect and abuse, and it’s all valid. Your feelings are valid

[@sakurarara4725]

How is a death of a family member small???

[@Caro.G]

@@sakurarara4725 I think it's because it's natural to happen

[@sakurarara4725]

@electro124 weak ahh mf really thought this was traumatizing, worse has happened to kids 💀 stop complaining and grow up or go di e

[@thepotatotaxi2430]

@@sakurarara4725 evry1 dies. It's terrible, but over time you'll get it.

[@myc0ldst4r]

@electro124 dawg did u jus say ur traumatized frm makin a mistake n feelin bqd ab it jeesusfc

[@I_lovemcr163]

As of now (19) I’ve: - been bullied - emotionally and verbally abused (have borderline personality disorder as a result) - am also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, cptsd, and multiple anxiety disorders - have chronic pain disorders - have seen irl gore and real deaths online (Reddit) - been in psych hospital 4 times - watched my mom die at 17 - massive family drama due to coming out as trans

[@jellybee2003]

im so sorry

[@noeminoyola5657]

(This message is not just for you,but for everyone who ends up reading this) Your experiences and emotions are valid.And thank you for sharing as it might’ve not been easy to share. I’m sorry that you already went through all of that.

[@Laikafan02]

I only just realized how bad my own trauma is because of seeing horrific transphobia on twitter and gore on Reddit.

[@johnton6488]

How is your ongoing series of psychotraumatic experience connected to Gen Z as general?

[@juannaym8488]

@@johnton6488 not the original poster, but I am gen z and really fucked up psychologically in many ways I just think we are the end product of the generational zoonosis humans have experienced. We are so unbelievably far removed from our nature as members of a community, were everyone pulls their own weight and more for their loved ones and themselves, that we just... stopped working Look at how much the very concept of community has deteriorated. People don't have friends anymore, there are neighbourhoods were people don't talk at all, seeing coworkers outside of work is considered odd. Why that is, I think is a very difficult question to answer. I'd say late stage capitalism is the main culprit, but fear mongering from media and environmental deterioration have contributed

[@irmalair4730]

Just sharing a personal experience, but I feel so desensitized because of media. For example, the more people were dying of Covid, and the more it was being described and shown, the lesser I felt about those deaths. It became mere numbers. Another example, I watched a scene in a movie where a person was beheaded, and people around me said they had goosebumps or were disgusted by it, but I literally felt nothing, nada. The blood and gore I've become so used to through media has made me senseless to even blood and pain in real life. It's scary as an empathetic person feeling all your sympathy wash away with how much trauma you're exposed to through a glass screen.

[@MakusinMeringue]

It's... kinda like the blood washed it all away or eroding it like rocks by the sea. I feel ya.

[@AudioAlure]

Sounds like shock to be honest.

[@pozol5542]

I strongly relate to the Starbucks employee, the first job I got was when I was 16, and I worked as a kitchen assistant. I was crying after every day of work and I quit after a week. My employers would make me work 10 hours a day, without any lunch or toilet break (in theory I could take breaks in between work however, if I would just leave for a second, I would be shouted at for not doing my work and making clients wait; there was no established break time, so in practice I was just not eating, not drining and not peeing for 10 hours straight), not to mention constant shouting, loud music and making me work without a proper contract for less than a minimum wage. This fucking restaurant broke so many laws and I did not even know what to do, since I was a clueless teen, not aware of my rights. And what hurts the most is that when I was looking for help from adults around me (my family, my older friends), I was just being laughed at for being too fragile, and not ready for "real adult life".

[@elliotsangestevez]

thats just straight up abuse

[@ErutaniaRose]

As I have said and stand by, "You don't hate Mondays--you hate capitalism". Or that the phrase "TGIF" (Thank God It's Friday)...literally saying you are glad most of your time for a week is OVER. Real adult life doesn't have to and should not be abusive, but a lot of people don't realize that. Those are the same people who think spanking or hitting a kid is "teaching them to behave" when all it is is abuse. If another adult hit another adult--boom that's a crime. The same should apply. My point is--people think abuse is normal and this generation is trying to change it. Getting help, political revolution, all of it. We are humans and we deserve rights.

[@pheonixrises11]

I can’t believe the adults around you weren’t aware this was all illegal or didn’t care. People can’t live off of getting screwed over, so I don’t know what they were thinking.

[@hobisdimples94]

Omg I LITERALLY have the same story, except I was 18! Worked in a little mom and pop place that was surprisingly always busy and I was only one of TWO waitresses. It was my first job so I didn't realize that what they were doing was illegal. I worked 9 hours a day but was only paid for 8, and we didn't have any breaks so I couldn't even sit down or eat. My feet would be bleeding by the end of each week and I cried every single day when i left, but I didn't wanna say anything out of fear of being "weak". It was a f*cking mental minefield.

[@friedrice4015]

I had a very similar situation- I was 16, working in a warehouse that fudged my hours to get around child labor laws. While I was free to eat and such as I wished, the environment was physically unsafe. Dangerous fumes that I was around for hours in an improperly ventilated room, no protective gear, etc. I was mysteriously let go at the end of the summer, along with every teenager, bc the grandmother of the owner didn’t like our “energy”. And then two years later the company was shut down for credit card fraud.

[@alext2566]

Millenial here. You gen Z peeps are fiery, flamboyant, emotional, and neurotic. You can be a bit much to take in all at once, not that anyone could blame you, just look at the world you're inheriting. You are also as a whole FAR warmer and more inclusive than any generation to have come before you. You have a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility. You understand the consequences of social stratification, and isolation. It's a DRASTIC difference from how things were, even just over a decade ago, when I was in high school. Bullying was still very common. You couldn't be openly gay or trans, or even dress unconventionally without severe ridicule. It was dehumanizing. Suicide was common, but there was no real effort to change that. It was just a part of life. People were only about themselves, or their own little clique. There was no sense of community or connection. We were just products on an assembly line, waiting to be shipped out and start turning a profit. We didn't matter. Friends that are gone now, didn't matter. For the longest time I had a very bleak, nihilistic view of the future. I didn't even really see a society worth saving, to be honest. You all give me hope, though. Maybe things won't turn out so bad after all. Don't be so hard on yourselves.

[@CVClausewitz]

@Alex T Preach! I friggin wish these Gen Z people got to experience High School in 2001. It was a friggin nightmare. You want to talk about Trauma? These people don’t know what trauma is.

[@pyrusuchus924]

@@CVClausewitz you missed the point. read the whole thing

[@V0idRose_]

@@CVClausewitz bro missed the whole message, get out 💀

[@unattendedmessenger]

I swear, I think we were left with scraps to be able to do better for ourselves

[@Jesper_Fox]

Thanks so much, this really touched me! I am 16 and I've had it pretty hard and I just don't understand people who try and look down on everyone else. Honestly you saying you get hope from my generation has kinda restored my own hope a little. Thanks for saying this, it really means a lot!

[@gabrielaildikozonda6210]

When I was 12, I heard my dad say he wanted to end himself while my parents were arguing. This happened not long after I found out that my father has had depression ever since I was 4. It made sense why he needed to take his medicine every night. Ever since that fight, I decided I wasn't going to be a burden to anyone, meaning I wasn't going to open up about my own mental/emotional struggles. In the meantime I started exploring things like my romantic preferences and gender identity, realizing I'm attracted to girls. I know it's not the usual things for a 12-13 yo to think about, but it happened. I know it might be 'just a phase', as everyone around me suggest. But it doesn't mean I was any less hurt when my mom told me I'm too young to know about these things. My point is that so many people are told they 'don't know what they're talking about' (usually told by parents when you open up about your struggles/identity). It's hurtful. Gen Z has gone through things too. Yes, things are different from older generations, but it doesn't mean our problems are less hurtful. Everyone has their own struggles, & I'm disappointed to say, but it looks like more teens or even children have to be more mature, because the adults we're 'supposed to trust' aren't at the right maturity to understand we struggle too. Might be just my own experiences, but it's still disappointing.

[@viquitowers2815]

It was the wrong way to say it like that, I'm sure of it, but I hope you understand that your mother was right in a way to say you shouldn't know about sexuality. It was also incredibly difficult hearing my parents say basically the same thing to me, but from the understanding that I have now, when people get exposed to sexuality at a young age it can develop into pretty bad ways of coping with your problems at a near future, like having sex unprotected, or before you understand key information about sex and relationships in general, so she was probably just trying to look out for you in the way she knew how to

[@Sammmliu]

​@@viquitowers2815 Listen this literally have nothing connected sex. They think they like girls instead of boy and that completely fine. 'look out for her kid' yeah sure I just personal think there are better way to communicate about this instead of just saying how you don't know about something yet at that age

[@laurenOP]

​@@viquitowers2815 Queer kids know they're queer. That's a fact. You know from very young you're different to everyone else, but you just can't quite put a label on it. You see all of your girl friends getting crushes on boys (which is normalised, adults make comments on straight kids and perceived straight relationships amongst children all of the time) and you wonder why you don't. Straight kids don't question it because straight is the default, they already know about straight relationships, they're surrounded by it, so what is there to question? Questioning your own orientation is not equivalent to learning about sex.

[@ethanmoon3925]

People in previous generations have been through more physical difficulty, but Gen Z is the most isolated generation that has ever existed, living as lab rats in a social technological experiment.

[@bushb3568]

No one can say our generation has no trauma when I, and many others I know, pack their bags for school in case of school shooters and know every route of the school (including windows to roofs) so they can escape.

[@cristinarichart1118]

I’m a millennial an olddder one. I also do this for everywhere I go. Good for you go being aware and trying the best you can to preserve your life while you continue to go out and live it!

[@cristinarichart1118]

Each and every generation has their own community trauma, so glad school was still a safe place ( mostly) when I graduated. Columbine happened when I was in middle school and a few others but I never felt afraid. We didn’t have drills. Thank God it wasn’t common anyway

[@cellamarino]

i understand what you are saying but 'our generation' is not all from the United States. universally experienced points of distress would be more impactful.

[@saltgay]

You know not everyone lives in US?

[@meatpuppet5036]

that's not trauma though, that's hystrionics

[@cicivlogs8445]

I think we’re have all been traumatized since the beginning of time. The difference is genZ is starting to talk about their trauma. We are acknowledging it and having open ended conversations about it and that’s not something people used to do back in the day, everyone would just sit on that pain and pretend like everything is fine. That’s why older generations think we’re so soft, we’re just living in a new day and age where mental health is being valued.

[@friedtoads13]

in my eyes, we're stronger than ever because we've finally built up the courage to have these difficult conversations with each other. it's still not easy for a lot of people, but if we all work together and show the world how beneficial it is to share your feelings, i think we'll make a drastic impact on the state of the world.

[@friedtoads13]

@@RatPfink66 it's sickening that there are people like you who argue that being conscious of mental health is self indulgent

[@Bolshechemty]

​@@RatPfink66 Combine it to make: a soothened existence with the foundation of mental fortitude and resistance.

[@ughicanteven5896]

@@friedtoads13 not only the courage but the fact that it's a whole lot easier now. The world is way more accepting of emotions and help is easily accessible.

[@ezrastardust3124]

@@friedtoads13 I couldn’t agree more and as tumultuous as things may be currently, I do feel like there are good things coming our way

[@6zbp886]

a lot of things happened to me throughout my school years as a trans boy, and i'm still only 15 and continuously fighting with the struggles of dealing with that pain and the trauma. my dad, who is a man in his 50s, constantly says our generation is too soft. he talks about all the things he's been through, and all i can feel is pity. this man who has been through so much shit feels the need to get it all out even to his kid. he's angry because he didn't deal with it in the right way. he's angry because he couldn't heal. and now he's angry that we get to. he's angry because we are more open about these things and he never was allowed to be. his past replays in his head often, reminding him of the stress. recently we talked a lot about how we feel the world is too much. so much going on, constant fighting between literally everyone, peoples rights being taken away and he soon came to realise that we have it pretty hard too. just in a different way. we now talk openly about our struggles, and we dont undermine each others issues. we complain to each other and laugh about silly things going on in the world, and we are both doing better. we still struggle sometimes. obviously, it's not all going to go away just from talking to each other, but it helps to get it all out. while he struggles to deal with his past, i struggle to deal with my present. it's not all about me nor is it all about him. so many people out there are dealing with so much mental stress, but it's important that we don't undermine each others issues. invalidating our struggles makes us feel stupid and worthless, overthinking every little upset moment, causing much bigger issues. being able to deal with our troubles in the right way can be a privilege often taken for granted. talk to someone

[@jellybean_18]

I almost cried multiple times during this video because its crazy to think our generation has gone through all this stuff and that I can relay moments in my life from trumatic experiences. Hugs to all the GenZers and other generations dealing with trauma

[@N95j]

i agree

[@Laikafan02]

No way me to

[@clippychan530]

As a genZ I fully agree, I feel like our entire generation has been shrouded in tragedy. Every year from elementary to high school we would talk about 9/11 in detail and once I got into middle school we would watch the footage. I remember being a child being told about the sandy hook shooting, and I remember being a child during the Boston bombing. I remember my parent getting laid off because of the recession and I remember standing outside of my school for three days in a row because of bomb threats being called in. By the time I was wrapping up high school things were finally looking up only for me to enter college in a pandemic. Now I'm here, graduation is around the corner we're entering a recession and it feels like nothing has changed and I don't know what to do. I truly hope that gen z doesn't make the same mistake as those before us have done, I hope that we remember what it's like to be young and afraid of the world around you. I hope we can make things better and safer for those after us and I hope that we can give them the space to vent about their issues that we weren't given. Quick edit: I'm not saying gen z has it the worst and I'm not saying that existing as a gen z is traumatizing, my life has been pretty cushy compared to previous generations. The world has been scary for centuries and just because I've seen some scary things as a child doesn't mean my generation has it the worst. People before me lived through plagues, nuclear war, economic collapse, and so on. I just think that because of the constant onslaught of information, it's not surprising that gen z is apathetic. I think gen z is just at that point in life, we really aren't that old and we don't have much experience yet. Gen z is just starting to get to the age where we can properly process all the information we were given as kids. We'll be fine, everything will be ok. The world isn't going to end just because things are like this.

[@StarDustwolf77]

I spent my teenage years stuck in my house, due to COVID and developed a dissociative disorder. People think im being dramatic when I say lockdown ruined my life, along with tiktok. Now that i think about it, we were fed a lot of negative information as kids. At school, by parents or via internet. I actually didn't get to go to my highschool prom because of lockdown, and missed GCSEs. Can't redo them either

[@sav2823]

I live in Connecticut and was in either first or second grade the morning the Sandy Hook shooting happened. Before my dad dropped me off at school he warned me someone had just brought a gun into a school in another town and it scared me so much I started crying. He was so concerned and serious when he said it, that's what scared me the most. Because I grew up hearing about shootings all the time, almost every night, I thought it was normal and just a part of life. But when it was happening so close to the point my parents looked scared, that's what scared me. My mom would yell at me for being heartless and selfish because I was so desensitized to it that I didn't have much of a reaction to other shootings. Finally when I got older I realized the gravity of it all and that it wasn't just life, and that my parents didn't grow up in a world like this. They were adults when 9/11 happened. I was in Kindergarten when I first learned about it. Every day on the news I would watch cities on fire as people carried weapons and smashed windows and cars and carried burning items. I thought it was all NORMAL.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

The world has always been screwed up.

[@jefrreyjeffery2192]

Ok but imagine growing up in most militarised places in world in central asia, where i witnessed horrific killings, wars, conflicts, terrific crackdowns and i was acting like if it's all normal 😍😍😍💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻

[@Everettalla]

We DEFINITELY will be better to the younger generation then boomers and millennials. Oh my god, without a doubt.

[@milkteamachine]

I’m a millennial and I have c-PTSD from childhood abuse. The past few years have been incredibly hard because the complete loss of control and security from going through a global pandemic, recession and rapidly escalating climate catastrophe alone put me back into a similar place mentally many times. I have a LOT of issues with the way trauma is discussed online but I think ultimately open discussions around pain and trauma help everyone.

[@milkteamachine]

@Coley coleSome people make the mistake of thinking sensitive = weak, when that's not the case. Pushing everything away from you and pretending you're never affected by anything is way easier.

[@suikaberrii3251]

Definitely, im gen z And even though some copes of my generation aren't healthy, it does make us more mature, when sharing ur issues online you will always find someone with the same problem and it just makes you happy knowing your not alone, if I were born wAYY back then I would've killed myself, I hope the next gen will have more mature parents who have experienced the struggles of life, and remembers what being a teen was and how painful it is, I doubt it will happen but hey, it's not bad for a man to dream.

[@manformerlypigbukkit]

CPTSD gang lets go!!! It’s so nice to see others who’re aware of this thing, it’s so difficult to explain to anyone and usually you’re met with a leer or “So your mom yelled at you and now you’re sensitive?” (Someone actually said that to me). I won’t go into detail about my trauma, but it was all childhood related, lots of being chased down with a belt and getting stuffed in closets. The fact that people are so _in_sensitive to shit like this makes my blood boil. Like, I’m sorry, I didn’t choose to be like this, show some compassion for a second…

[@knox740]

I also struggle with the same disability and I watched this video because I wanted to say that trauma is overhyped. That people should stop using it so light-heartedly, because I've experienced a lot of stigma having c-ptsd.. but this video was thoughtful and appropriate. It's helped me realize the compounding effects of living in our society

[@eksbocks9438]

I'm a millennial too. I know what these guys are talking about. Basically proving that saying of, "It takes a village to raise a child." But from my experience, we're expected to carry all of this weight alone. I know that hard work can be a good virtue. But without support, it just doesn't feel right.

[@zahennifa]

It has always pissed me off when someone older is like "welcome to adulthood" like okay you accepted being miserable but I'm not okay. This isnt how we should be living

[@anacom4238]

OMG I'm genX and so irritated with all the insults thrown at younger people. Trust me, it's just narcissists - the older ones who are jealous they aren't as young and aren't in control of where things are going anymore. GenZ is more educated especially psychologically.. And if someone feels traumatized they most likely are.

[@juannaym8488]

did you experience the same when you grew up, from boomers and the greatest gen?

[@SteviiLove]

Please don't feel bad for monetizing your content. I know people may complain but the unseen hours that go into these videos deserves compensation. Ads cost us nothing to watch (I typically use ad breaks to do things so we both benefit) while making it possible for our favorite content creators to keep doing what they're doing that we enjoy.

[@TheLarryDungeon]

In this day in age you gotta make money through any means. Obviously, in a respectful way

[@kay5802]

I agree! In this late stage capitalist hellscape you need money to survive and deserve to be compensated for your labor. I feel like millennials (which is what I am) and Gen Z are so used to being treated like our labor isnt valuable that it makes some of us feel guilty making money doing things that arent terrible and we dont hate...because that has been a lot of our experience earning money.

[@shakikiyama4285]

The Starbucks kid hit me in the feels, Fastfood is no fucking joke, its daunting and exhausting and can really make you spiral. I left my job at Subway because my mental state got so low and my job really wasn't helping. The people who are shitting on that kid should be ashamed.

[@nero.blackstar]

Same here. Worked at Tim Hortons at age 16 during the lockdowns when things started getting pretty bad. Untrained, people didn't show up + didn't call in, the place was a mess and we had many rush hours. They expected me to do everything with 3 people on board during rush hours despite not even being trained. Ended up quitting because of other factors as well, including family issues, loss of family members, isolation, school, and overall poor mental health.

[@RW5522]

Me too dude ❤

[@samyud1819]

I understand it, but why put it on social media?

[@CordeliaWagner]

Collective strike. Nothing will get better just because someone made a TikTok because most people don't see it and just want their overpriced lifestyle beanbroth with tons of sugar.

[@thefrogbert6295]

Im a student at a community college who was working at subway I feel this. Like we're not supposed to complain and adjust to a life after the "end of the pandemic" It's exhausting I have over 5 years of retail experience and have been working at various jobs since I was 17 I worked through the pandemic I did everything I was supposed to do do well in school go to school so you can do something with your life. I'm now debating to pursue a degree in political science because it's just so much going on right now Your either experienced in your trade but don't have enough schooling Or you got yourself into debt so you were able to get a degree but ohh sorry you have the degree but don't have the experience and didn't try to juggle your studies while trying to get an internship only to be snubbed for the nepobaby who's family name is on the side of the university business school. It's ridiculous my country where I was told that if you work hard and pull yourself up you can achieve anything But the United States is falling apart it's literally survival of the richest. I haven't been to the dentist in 3 years I've been homeless and am lucky to have found a rental but I share a room with six people who are all going through the same issues I am. But I should be grateful I should happy because there's people in other countries starving

[@yopi_yopi]

As a millenial, Gen Z gets my unconditional love and support. Let's break this stupid hate for younger gens cycle and work together to fix all the shits the world has thrown our way!!

[@_Am3thy2t_]

At Age 14 I've Experienced Being Or Just Seeing - Left out/bullied for harmless interests - Judged multiple times - Seen irl gore since age 11. (because i used to be apart of a discord server that had gore videos placed in those channels) - Had To Talk Grown Adults or Teens Out Of Suicide or attempt to stop them from doing so. - Almost Lost A Friend From Suicide. - Blamed For Everything (Especially when it came to online friends) - Bullied For Simply Existing. - Possibly Almost Been Groomed. yep. my life is really good (its unbreakable torture.)

[@hurricane7727]

That's messed up.

[@juannaym8488]

atleast you reflect on it at a young age, that's a good step

[@CaptainKarebear]

Idk, I always side eye people that want to make fun of or call someone who works in customer service "soft". Especially when dealing with food. I worked in customer for close to 10 years and just as a customer, I've seen it's gotten harder since the pandemic. Anyone laughing at that Starbucks barista is probably the problem customer no one wants there. Also as we head into the holidays, please, PLEASE be nice to these kids working customer service. They are not the reason a product you want isn't there.

[@monimuppet6132]

People really have no idea how much restraint a service worker is exercising at any given time.

[@paigemosher8697]

People who throw around terms like "soft" and "sensitive" have no place in civilized society. It's not normal to be a heartless bitch, Karen!

[@Theawesomeninja_XD]

Honestly. I hate how people were saying he was spoiled when he and others like him had to serve so many people at once with people who were supposed to be helping not showing up. People really should work in a customer service job for at least 6 months, because no one seems to understand how hard they really have it.

[@goodmorning2386]

Yup, I’ve seen people be absolutely horrible to customer service workers :( it’s fucked up

[@ScooterCat64]

I would rather shovel poo than work in customer service

[@marciamartins1992]

Modern life is traumatizing. I never had to deal with these mass shootings in the news all the time when I was a kid. I don't even know what to say to kids these days. Especially when our leaders are all behaving like morons. My heart goes out to the younger generation. The fact that you're sensitive and thoughtful is a good thing.

[@Dzanarika1]

I agree with you. They are very brave.

[@zvoid_error000]

It's so weird how desensitized I am to things it's genuinely horrific. I have to rewind my brain and remind myself what a single person is because my mom tells me there was a 'shooting' and I expect it to have injured a dozen plus people then she tells me one person got shot, no other injuries. All I can think is that it's "not that bad" it's vile but I've grown so accustomed to mass shootings...

[@spamme.]

​@@zvoid_error000 yeah. The issue is, i don't think it's horrific, but i want to. I want to be compassionate to these victims of our world, but i can't. with everything going on i physically cannot spend empathy on everything or I'll fall apart. So I've just resorted to only reacting to things that directly affect me.

[@Art-enjoyer_Fern]

This is a genuinely very healing thing to hear, thankyou ❤️

[@sommerscott4299]

Thank u so much I honestly really appreciate that from one gen z individual

[@LycanPower12]

As a gen z on my 20's (24) I've been exposed constantly to family violence, being physically punched by my dad multiple times, being bullied for my body my whole middle school period and being basically alone with no friends, almost developing ED, developing a diagnosed panic disorder, almost commiting the unaliving, then locked up for a pandemic for 2 and a half years, living in a city where mass shootings caused the whole city to have lockdown for a year when I was just 9 y/o (Juarez city), and literally two days ago after going home from the gym at night hearing gunshot right behind me as my dad was driving. Yeah, nothing bad happened as boomers say. Of course I'm not saying this to be a victim, because I've been going to therapy and I've become stronger in almost all aspects. But I didn't want to be stronger, I wanted to be happy and enjoy my life. To be a kid. But WE are the ones who f up the world right? If so, WE the young are the ones calling out all of the bs that older generations just accepted to be life.

[@lezbyanke777]

Regarding posttraumatic stress disorder, it depends on how your brain reacts to trauma, not the degree of severity. You do not have to experience a car accident, robbery, or other near-death situation to be eligible for a CPTSD or PTSD diagnosis. Your experiences are valid. You are valid.

[@Laikafan02]

Thank you.

[@kyliesmith9199]

Yeah. I have trauma myself and I have had symptoms of PTSD or CPTSD, but since I couldn't diagnose myself, I ran it past people who could diagnose me. One of the therapists I saw straight off of the bat told me I couldn't have PTSD cause I wasn't raped and I didn't go to war within the 30 minutes of meeting each other. She acted as if she already knew me and yet she didn't. I literally survived a narcissist and survived physical, emotional, mental, and verbal abuse. Recently these days, I did get diagnosed with a "trauma and stress related disorder" by someone else who had a master's degree in psychology. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it at least means that my pain is finally being validated for once. Literally, everything I read in the report made me actually worry for myself because seeing how much of a toll narcissistic abuse had on me being put down on paper is pretty fucked.

[@arthursmarthur]

Another thing about trauma with Gen Z in relation to the internet is how easy it is to be groomed now. I was groomed online for 4 years, from 9-13,. It took until I was 16 to even finally realize that I was groomed, and to realize how much it has effected me. Even when knowing about stranger danger and online safety, I still got hurt. And so many people from my generation have been groomed online because of how easy it has become to groom children. It’s scary and I don’t think it’s talked about enough, personally.

[@maybemablemaples2144]

No it is. It's just the conversation has gotten so toxic because of Terfs and the Far Right we can't even scratch the surface when teachers are just called groomers for being gay or even teaching in general. The system is built on taking advantage of exactly what you're talking about but asshoke screaming wolf drown any real progress out.

[@f4kelizard]

same here, i didn't realise i had trauma from the internet up until a few months ago. i used to have a fanaccount when i was 13-14 and soo many people texted me constantly, expecting me to answer and even threatening me when i didn't. i had to talk strangers out of committing suicide and decline a proposal and a date request from a 20 year old. wtf

[@summero-my5in]

Same I’m 19 and JUST realized a few months ago how a 19-20 year old guy was grooming me when I was 14

[@arthursmarthur]

@@maybemablemaples2144 that’s fair. I completely forgot about the whole ‘queer people being groomers’ thing when I wrote that. It is really taking away from actual grooming situations, and I’ve experienced that myself, I’ve been told I was groomed by trans people to be trans, but my actual experiences have been ignored. It’s really bad

[@Popthebop]

THIS THIS RIGHT HERE!!! YES!!! so many people in gen z to alpha have been groomed, it's such a problem. I can't even count on my fingers how many I've seen on the internet! (though It should be mentioned, some of the victims/survivors were not gen z.) it's crazy!!! I want to hug or at least make all the kids feel better gods it's awful. It should be talked about more often! in a non-traumatising way of course. it's awful it's so awful, though changing laws on the internet won't fix the problem. it's an ingrained problem that's so awful, gods I hate groomers. Hope you have a nice day though! :D

[@kellygal3036]

I’m proud to be a gen z, I feel like we’re a much more humane and personal generation. We see things that are wrong and start conversation to put a stop to it, and we share what we’re feeling unapologetically when someone does something that makes us feel bad. We’re not soft, we’re humane. We don’t wish to subject ourselves to normalized ab*se, and stand up against it.

[@miaxx937]

I really hope we in the future become better employers and create a society that isn’t as horrible to it’s workers as people are now.

[@kellygal3036]

@@miaxx937 I couldn’t agree more

[@eajaros]

Gen Z has taken a lot of the best traits of millennials but as such receive the same harassment from the older generations. Millennials adopted many of Gen X’s best ideas.

[@tcrijwanachoudhury]

Our fragility can lift us out of misery and injustice or let us succumb to totalitarianism. Time will tell

[@turtleboy1188]

You people are not humane

[@MarkSalhany]

I'm a millennial but I have so much respect, sympathy, and hope for gen z.

[@isdrakon9802]

Well at least someone has it, we certainly are lacking it for ourselves

[@Phantomenace1]

Most of the evidence I’ve gathered from growing up in this generation points to the future being utterly hopeless, unfortunately.

[@klaytonalexandermatthews2047]

My current job, I can work a 11 hour shift easy because I'm not interacting with the public and it's pretty chill. But working even only 7 hours in customer service is insanely stressful. The amount of hours doesn't matter. It's absolutely horrible

[@paracosmsforbugs]

as a starbucks barista i hated it when people responded with “starbucks barista cries because he has to make coffee” to that video of evan. because the truth is whenever i have days like that, im not crying because im making coffee, im crying because i have been making coffee for 3 hours while customers scream at me because we’re backed up on mobiles and they don’t have their drinks yet, not realizing that people can order drinks in the same exact second on the starbucks app, so when we’re in the middle of a rush we get like 20 orders put through in a single minute, but we’re expected to get all of them out on time. sometimes i need to sob and cry and the bathroom because it makes me so fucking angry that im supposed to empathize with customers who don’t even see me as another human. “well they were waiting for a long time to get their drink, obviously they would be upset. they don’t understand what it’s like to be a barista so you have to give them some grace.” yeah, i understand someone would be angry if they wait for awhile, but could you try telling THEM that instead of me???? maybe actually explain to them that we’re understaffed because COVID is still a thing and everyone is getting sick, explain that drinks don’t magically get made in 2 seconds, explain to them that im not a fucking robot who can make drinks nonstop for hours on end, explain SOMETHING instead of being the usual starbucks corporate with this facade of smiling baristas and well-maintained stores, and trying to make it seem like everything is perfect all the time because its not. i cant say any of this though because i cant get fired and need money, even if its minimum wage, so i have to be the one that goes to work everyday and give everything the benefit of the doubt and not be angry while our supreme leader Howard Schultz sits in his office pretending he’s not making baristas do the exact thing he said he never wanted anyone else to experience

[@stormfischerr]

ex fucking xactly!!!!

[@SpookyGhostpeppers]

The whole order online system is broken as hell, had the same problem at my own job- except instead of coffee it was pizza- which depending on what kind of pizza was ordered, requires slightly different cook times. And our one oven could only fit maybe 10 normal sized pizzas at a time, and fuck anybody who decides to order 5 large pizzas at once because even one of those suckers takes longer to cook AND takes space away from the smaller pizzas that could be there instead. They really need to put a limit on how many orders shuld be allowed to go through within a 30 minute window, because its a problem anywhere and its ridiculous.

[@hotkfclover6169]

I'm not really fan of coffee, but one day I was pretty hungry and passing by small cafe. There was sanswiches and good coffee, as I known, so I walked in. It was about 1 p.m. and many ppl had a break on their work. You know what? There was ONE guy. He was working alone and I became seventh client at that moment. Usually there was at least two, so one could do coffee while other keep taking orders. So it was obvious he can't do it all alone fast. He still was so polite, calm and always telling "sorry for waithing", while some custumers asked "could you get my order" or "where's my order" or whispering while waiting how they pissed off so everyone could hear. That was wild. I mean, if they can't calm down seeing there's one poor guy working after pandemic and also, like, there's a war pretty near to us, hello, how could they do it in normal situation? I feel sorry for all stuff. And all customers who don't behave like animals - you're awesome

[@bee1411]

@@hotkfclover6169Right? It boggles my mind how some people seem to be unable to empathize or have any perspective at ALL! Even before I worked a food service job, I didn’t get angry for waiting, because jobs suck sometimes; and shit happens! Literally the only situation where I will get annoyed by a service worker is if they’re actively hostile or blatantly an asshole towards me lmao. If they’re generally annoyed? I don’t give a shit, working a service job sucks. If they take a long time? They’re prolly understaffed. If they fuck up my order? Shit, they’re not paid enough to care, so why should I? Plus, the nicer one is to service workers, the nicer the service, so I don’t understand why people think screaming will make anything better. Some people are so fucking ignorant.

[@hotkfclover6169]

@@bee1411 just like that. most of the time you can SEE or KNOW why there's something wrong with your order: lack of stuff, too much clients, your order is too big, etc. But no, they're just guilty. Also, you can get better mood, not only for everyone else, but for yourself if instead of screaming you'll just say "oh it's nothing" or smtg like that. There's nothing to loose and some highschooler who makes you coffee won't cry afterwards

[@TMJW]

The idea that “purity culture” is a trauma response is interesting. I still don’t think it forgives eating one’s own (seeing LGBTQ+ kids be absolutely horrible to each other the past few weeks is infuriating) but it’s an interesting angle beyond others in community simply being an easier target. Definitely food for thought…

[@trashchicken4882]

The big thing that stuck with me was when surveillance was brought up. And how under constant surveillance, you turn to constantly surveilling as well. I feel like that definitely does come from some kind of hypervigilant --> traumatic roots. Especially because some people get the traumatic response of cognitive dissonant thought in good vs evil and trying to find the bad guy around every corner so you can stay safe. But your brain shouldn't constantly be in that mode. And I think online spaces encourage people to stay inside that mentality of "are you bad or are you good", because if you dismiss that mentality, then you're the bad guy. Even if you've gone to therapy and broken down that automatic response. Idk if any of that made sense but basically yes I think "purity culture" being a trauma response makes a lot of sense actually. 😅

[@TMJW]

@@trashchicken4882 that’s a really excellent point - I hadn’t focused on that the first time through I never stopped to consider how Gen Z has never not been under surveillance, there’s always been CCTV and personal cameras so long as they’ve been around. And if you’re in the US school security adds an extra layer to it all

[@taevantox]

i remember back in 2017-2018 on TUMBLR where lgbtq+ people were just being awful to one another and was so confused? the way the community was treating asexual people at the time was fucking horrid and it was praised for actively shitting on them? they even indoctrinated me for a year on their anti-ace in lgbtq spaces bullshit because I was a dumb confused teen. still feel the shame after all these years, especially now questioning if i'm asexual or not. for a community built on supposed love and unity, they sure as fuck love to invalidate and cannibalise their own people.

[@TMJW]

@@taevantox I’m very sorry you went through that. I had a difficult time figuring out I was bi due to all the terrible things in the culture generally as well as being bullied (by gays and straights) for the ways in which I wasn’t gender-typical/heteronormative. I can’t imagine what it would be like having the space where you seek community constantly attack you. My heart breaks seeing what’s happening to so many younger people, it’s so pointedly vicious, the attackers form a public smear campaign to boot

[@chocomelo454]

​@@trashchicken4882 so that explains why I keep have delusional episodes where I think someone is outside my door.

[@bashfulwolfo6499]

Only 21 and I’ve experienced some shit that is genuinely hard for me to talk about, especially because the person who did these things to me when I was just barely in kindergarten still lives in the same house as me. Had to lie to my mom and tell her nothing happened to me when she once asked because I was afraid of what would happen. Because of me constantly keeping this stuff a secret since I was tiny, I’ve been suffering with severe anxiety and depression, as well as PTSD and possibly OCD (not confirmed yet, I need medical insurance so that I can finally get tested but it seems likely I do have it as almost everyone in my family does). The only thing my family has ever been concerned about my depression is when my dad died, whom I was extremely close to, and it was just mainly used as an excuse to get me out of school. My mom cares for me, but she just doesn’t understand, and constantly calls me lazy, selfish, and aggressive… to the point where that’s all I think I am. I’m glad to have a loving bf and friends that are always there for me, as well as my pets that love me just as much as I love them. I don’t know where I would be without them

[@atesah]

I love this video so much!!! Like I feel so moved right now watching the conclusion on how to heal trauma. You are so empathic, wise and great at communicating concepts!! Thank you SO MUCH Elliot

[@sodashiira1894]

Even being a younger Gen-Z kid, (2009) it’s still pretty difficult. I wouldn’t like to call myself traumatized, as I do recognize that I’m being raised in a middle class family and I’m from a decently privileged household. But from fifth grade to today, things have definitely taken a nosedive once you start to become a teenager. Pre-teens (10-12) and teenagers should NOT have to deal with beauty standards or peer pressure to look and act more adult when you’re still a developing child. The Covid pandemic absolutely broke all of my social skills and tore down my confidence because I had to be locked at home for over a year and had to completely start over with making friends and connections when I got back to school. I’m worrying about the cost of highschool and college when I’m in eighth grade because jobs are paying less and things are costing more. None of these things are anything a still-developing child should have to go through. Yes, Gen-Z can be considered “weak”, but look at all the adult shit we have to go through when we’re still young?

[@kamilareeder1493]

Im an "old" Gen Z lol. Im 24 now, and I coach highschool and middleschool sports. I think, this generation has also suffered from very RESTRICTIVE authoritarian parenting 🤔 Many of my students might be a bit more sheltered/soft than will eventually be good for them 👀🤷‍♂️☝️ but thats not yalls fault. I don't like how authoritarian a lot parenting is today because it makes it sooooo much tougher when you hit 18, and they do a 180 on you and expect you to be self sufficient all of a sudden. A lot of the trauma comes while kids try to bridge that gap between childhood and adulthood in your late teens

[@Mendoxs_]

damn you're not even in HS and you're already worrying about living wages 😭

[@memeyartist5591]

this lmao, im a 17 yo gen z, and so many adults dont seem to understand that we SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH ADULT PROBLEMS YET. Idk about you all, but my childhood took a dramatic turn from extremely sheltered and highly religious dysfunctional family, to being parentified. its a bruh moment

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

Listen kid, I feel for your trauma, and the horrors you've had to endure. But lemme tell you about this great new invention that'll turn your life around. They're called PARAGRAPHS!

[@Baseiscc]

@@RaptorFromWeegee goofy

[@punkst3r]

I really resonated with the topic of Gen Z's obsession with media. There's a quote from Bo Burnham's first netflix special (2016 I think) that goes something like: "It's not that this generation is obsessed with themselves, content creation arose out of a demand to perform, and social media met that demand." We're not narcissistic cry babies, art and performance is the only coping mechanism we know how to use. We're children born into a system that tells us that the only way to live is to sell out every part of yourself, even if it's just to survive.

[@NJGuy1973]

What coping mechanism would you rather use?

[@chesspiece4257]

media is escapism tho? like we’re not obsessed with ourselves we’re obsessed with escaping ourselves

[@joa1401]

@@NJGuy1973i mean… ideally it would be a matter of, y’know, not having to cope in the first place. for the situation to not be so grave as to necessitate coping mechanisms. this isn’t about picking which feels better between rocking back and forth in a corner and drinking hard liquor. this is about actually fixing the problem.

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

You can still choose not to be on social media. Many aren't. Blaming it on coping is stupid and is only there as an excuse. In the end you're the one who will suffer for it Bo burnham is amazing. He really learned how to manipulate stupid people. Of course he won't blame gen z on social media. That's why he's famous.

[@crollo6225]

haven't finished the vid yet but i think the fact we experience genuine trauma and are NEVER validated except from videos like this kinda keeps the cycle going of being addicted to our phones and shit, cause not being validated is genuinely so enraging and makes you feel like you're going insane. but at the same time, we all need to spend less times on our phones. we are addicted to something that we barely know how harmful it is, and this unknowing can allow for a lot of confusion and bad shit

[@crollo6225]

finished, and i totally agree that its hard to end this cycle because our society is built around phones and this internet era. to pay for parking we need to download an app. to see the menu for a restaurant we need to scan a barcode. its not impossible to live without a phone but it is so difficult to a point that it feels impossible to break free from the device that has really ruined our lives. bars

[@AugustCrossroads]

​@@crollo6225im14andthisisdeep

[@rynscull]

i'm not even out of high school yet, and i have: - been asked sexual questions starting at 12 and have had people constantly sexualize me and my attraction to women (i'm a closeted trans guy) - been manipulated into sending lewd clips of myself by some of my only friends - was harassed by nearly all of my peers for being the only latino in my predominantly white class, repeatedly called slurs, and told to "go back to my own country" when i was born and raised in the usa - witnessed a friend self-harm and starve herself my last year of middle school, then witnessed another friend do the same the next year - was diagnosed with GAD--my mother doesn't think it's a disorder, and the therapist i got frequently invalidated me and made racist comments - suffered from intrusive thoughts and thoughts of suicide since i was 10 due to harassment and hereditary mental disorders - was outed to my parents and friends' parents. some friends' parents forced their kids to cut me off. - was exposed to porn at a young age which fucked me up - made friends with someone online, only for him to develop a crush on me, and post public threats to hurt himself if i said i didn't like him back and honestly, from what i've seen, i have it lucky

[@user-hq2kn5zw8s]

Alot of people need to realise that just because someone has it worse than you does not make your problems invalid.

[@juannaym8488]

I am a cis man at 23, even I somehow experiened sexual assault from older, superior coworkers and internet people from a young age. And that's not rare, when I have one to one, intimate talks with other men, they ALL have atleast some experience with it. I can't imagine how it must be for women. And I somehow can't imagine that it has always been this way

[@furrymemelady622]

I’m 23 and I’ve: Gotten Bullied Gotten Violent Threats Got rejected by part of my family when I came out as trans at 15 Was homeless at 11-12 Was groomed online by a 28-year old pretending to be 16 online when I was 16. Witnessed a Mass Shooting out my Window at 15 Inhaled pepper spray at 19 when I was at a peaceful protest and watched folks get assaulted and hauled away by Cops just for chanting on a sidewalk Have memories of abuse from when I was around 3-4 Nearly drowned to death at 13 Had my dog die from a preventable death at 11 Am on the radar of a large Neo-Nazi group Been trying to just get my life together, because I didn’t think I’d survive to see 18, much less 23.

[@MissSaenz0211]

I'm sorry pardner, I'm not good with sympathizing but I hope you make it.

[@furrymemelady622]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m still going strong, I’m not perfect and I’ve made a lot of mistakes. But I’m hoping to live a decent life.

[@colasevenseas5652]

A lot to experience

[@Lasanga95]

Man thats a lot. If i could hug you now I would.

[@skoloten.]

I'm sorry.

[@kittee6409]

Older generations really trauma dumped all over Gen Z from the time we were tiny children and dismissed any and all feelings we had about those things and the things we experienced in our own lives.

[@johnny4062]

They're just passing down what they were taught. It's up to each one of us to break the cycle.

[@justanothermortal1373]

@@johnny4062 think we can do it?

[@johnny4062]

@@justanothermortal1373 Yup, just need find the right mindset and stick with it. I'm getting better every day.

[@ab.6573]

No, whatever your trauma is, i guarantee you its light compared to the previous generation.

[@mrvideocamera1]

@@ab.6573 if you dont know you dont know and you wont want to know

[@_6-6_]

Feelings are valid no matter how ridiculous or over the top they seem to us. So be nice. Be kind. Be patient. You never know who the other person is.

[@MLoerAudio]

Thank you for your eloquence and directness on this subject. I'm a dad (my kid is 3), and I have a lot of fear for the world he'll be growing up in. I find it so heartening that younger people like you are so open and thoughtful in addressing issues like collective trauma. Thank you! Don't stop!

[@unattendedmessenger]

I hope the best for your son! ☺️

[@zvoid_error000]

I have hope your son will grow up well and cared for, always remember where you heart lies for him 💚

[@Mxchabearr]

i thought that said my dad is 3 for a second

[@dovelyxx]

My main problem, which i run into constantly wih my mother, is that we (Gen Z) are growing into adults (if we aren't already), and we will have to end up dealing with whatever has happened in the past. We have to pick up the tiny shards of the window that was broken, and fit them all together so that we can figure out how to make a stronger window. It happens to every generation, and I've noticed that most (*not* all) of our parents tend to ignore the broken window instead of try to help us fix it.

[@oatmeal710]

it's a lot easier for them to throw another rock at the window than help pick up the pieces

[@Pennyfold123]

Some parents don't even think there is a window.

[@vivianhanna7370]

I really like this metaphor 👍 totally encapsulates my experience with my parents

[@vgnwlf]

Our society is very messed up. At 40, a parent of a Gen-Z, growing up through the 80s and 90s was quite confusing - the world feels like a very different place now, it is quite strange and shocking. The solutions to fix this world are available, but most people don't want to do what is required - most don't even think about it. To fix things, we have to unplug from technology and create local sustainable systems of permaculture. If communities worked together to directly provide for their own basic needs (not paid by $, but paid by the actual fruits of their labor: food, shelter, friendships, etc) we would have cohesion and meaningful lives to live.

[@unattendedmessenger]

My mom is one of them because if I try to say something she instantly starts yelling at me for it. Her excuse of why she stopped raising my sister at 15 was because she was going through a dark time. 🙄😒

[@Mintflavoredgum]

I'm a millennial and we went through a lot of trauma too. I feel for Gen Z though. We had the occasional bomb threat at school from idiot kids, but nothing on the scale of such frequent school shootings. We are the generation that remembers life before the internet (although some of us were young like me who is close to the cusp of millennial/genz) but I can't imagine being raised SOLELY by technology. Especially when older people or employers who don't understand technology are expecting things to get done faster or better and since Gen Z knows computers, they should be better and faster at their jobs except they're not computers! They're humans!

[@letheas6175]

Most of these issues seem mostly based on the country you live in, not your generation or the world we're living in.

[@alittleoddme1940]

Amen both generations have been through a boat Load of trauma. And I wish the other generations would just back off they haven't grown up with so much technology at their fingertips or the fact that they act the most entitled Is exhaustin. Top it off when you have to break down their hissy fits because they can't figure out how to emotionally connect to their feelings is embarrassing.

[@j-motions9894]

I’m a highschooler and gun threats are always in the back of my head when I’m at school, it’s always a small thought in the back of my head of what if someone pulled out a gun, what if someone was shot, ect and these thoughts are always there at my homecoming, at our football games, and sometimes even just lunch and it isn’t helped by the fact that in the last year and a half at least 3 people have brought guns THAT I KNOW OF and one friday last year half the school was gone because of a gun threat, and another time probably around a month or two before or after that someone was caught with a gun and arrested AND THEY DIDNT TELL US UNTIL AFTER SCHOOL it’s just so annoying how stuff like this is becoming normal, I was watching a vid of an Australian coming to the states and he mentioned how there were over 53 shootings in that month and I didn’t know that as someone who actually lives here because it’s become so normalized Also so for ranting in a random reply lol

[@Mintflavoredgum]

@@letheas6175 A lot of people around the world feel the same way though. Capitalism and the corporatization of our governments have led to mass consumption of media (technology) which has kept us reliant on it for entertainment, social interaction, and ease of purchase. Not just in America or even in English-speaking countries. Gen-Z was raised on the internet and with lack of knowledge of how to protect one's privacy, have had their digital experience curated for them specifically, keeping them in an informational bubble which has done little to prepare them for experiencing situations outside of the internet. Older generations don't have that problem. In fact, this next generation will have already had a profile made for them based on the data collected from their parents before they even learn how to speak. Think about the implications of that. It is absolutely a problem that effects an entire generation.

[@letheas6175]

@@Mintflavoredgum Many of these things still sound like a you problem, not trying to be rude. Or well, maybe the phrasing is wrong, as I meant a problem I don't recognize in my country. Thus it might not be the problem of technology, but rather, how a country or culture deals with that innovation. I feel that's 90% of the thing. I do acknowledge there being some problems, but as much as you have to worry over there, I never had to experience. Same with the guns argument, I have never even seen a gun in my life, not even on police. Usually, people portray their life as the global ''normal'' just like I feel it's so.. almost alien, watching news from the US. But I think it's a 50/50 thing. I am sure you are right in some regards, but so many parts of the world don't have the same problems as you experience.

[@nebula4256]

One thing that ive seen that is quite unfortunate is how people catogorize PTSD. I am diagnosed with pstd, and the events i have gone through are nothing of what people expect it to be. A lot view it as trauma from war or something of the sort, but it can truly be anything else. Its a lasting stress disorder from a traumatic even that continues to plague person for a longer/chronic period of time. And that is what i have. It makes me sad hiw many children end up the PTSD and are shot down just because their trauma isnt war related or something of that sort.

[@randomowl2806]

As a Gen-Z teen, I've felt suicidal ever since I was 12-13, and I have no idea how to deal with it. I talk to friends, but fights with my parents made it worse. It's hard to get them to understand, but I'm not a person who's good with words, so I just keep it to myself because I'm scared they may invalidate my feelings by saying that "Oh we all have those kind of days" or "Oh I was just like you when I was younger." Once I was 15 (I'm 16 now), I thought I had it all under control at the end of the year during the school holidays. And then I heard the news that one of my friends had killed themselves. Their parents had left the house for work and they came back to find my friend dead on the floor in the bathroom. I've never really felt worse in my life. I know some people have had it worse, but I've never experienced their kind of "worse" before. All I know is how to try and deal with my kind of worse. Any more of this and I'll split. I hope that everyone who feels horrible right now slowly gets better. It's a long and rather hard process to get out of this slump. You can do it. It's crucial to understand that everyone is different and some methods don't work for everybody. We're all different, but all it takes is understanding. Peace ❤️

[@rosariccardo3529]

I'm Gen X and I work with young people at my university job. I have a lot of respect for them - they seem generally more mature and more empathetic than we were at their age. People who respond callously to people's suffering are, well, callous. I prefer this contemporary world of recognising trauma and naming inappropriate behaviour than the silencing world in which I grew up. I am all for a kinder world. We don't need to be tougher - we need to be resilient, but not lose our softness.

[@danielstockley5631]

You're not helping them. You're rationalising a feedback loop which will keep them neurotic and attached to an external locus of control model in which they are the perpetual victim of the world and no one understands them. Their only friend and saviour being social media which is where they pick all this nonsense up. But the opposite is true. Being allowed to grow up as digital natives was how their parents failed them. Listen to how he talks about that rapper that got shot at the start, implying even that might have traumatised him. When Kurt Cobain died, or Tupac or Biggie, no one needed to talk about "trauma" because you could just see it on the faces of teens that met in public to hold silent vigils or express their grief. Gen z is like this unauthentic generation because if you don't post about something online then it didn't happen. Everything is a performance, even losing a patient at work in a hospital can be farm for tik tok cred. No one is buying it. Trauma isn't something you should have to convince others of, it's self evident. In this case, it's just another trendy thing that the algorithm put in front of them so now they think they have it too.

[@rosariccardo3529]

@@danielstockley5631 acknowledging your pain and understanding how it affected you is an important part of healing. Being able to articulate why something is a problem can be quite liberating. After that, you can of course choose to remain victimised, but you can also choose to understand the issue and its size and scope, and then what you plan to do about it or how you would respond in future. This is a different set of decisions. In my experience it is better to acknowledge pain and distress that to pretend that it doesn't affect you, because it tends to fester and to mutate in the dark.

[@abandonedmuse]

Yeay us GenX always get it. I agree man, we foight pretty hard to make the world a better place. It was us that started recycling and remember that bumper sticker that said “mean people suck” I still have one in my room. I think our generation gets it. I think most of these are boomers and that’s how they are. They are craaaaazy lol I don’t understand their way of thinking at all.

[@abandonedmuse]

@@danielstockley5631 I’m sorry but saying that the death of a rapper wasn’t traumatic to people because we didn’t talk about it is so ridiculously wrong. It was traumatic for us. I remember hearing about those deaths and seeing how music changed. 9-11 was EXTREMELY traumatic. We didn’t just GET OVER IT. Some of my friends didn’t even want to get on a plane after that. I’m not sure what generation you are but as a Gen X I can totally see how many things in this world are TRAUMATIC especially for a generation who has this big internet to go around looking through without any guidance. The world is insane for them. They have every right to feel and express themselves. It’s not about creating a loop of victimization. It’s about dealing with your ideas and feels about a situation in a world you are just entering which seems PRETTY INSANE. Idk. I’m glad I didn’t have social media when I was younger. Social media has literally been one of the worst things to happen to the world. I get the part where it’s sharing information but holy f it’s a two sided sword. Like no matter how you look at it, we are worse off now than ever. These kids were born into it. Idk i see trauma all over that.

[@danielstockley5631]

@@abandonedmuse Of course 9/11 was traumatic. But rappers getting shot? Gimme a break. Thousands of black people are murdered every year and no one knows their names and no one marches in the street for them. But one guy gets killed during an arrest and NPCs march not only in America but Paris, London, Sydney, even Tokyo. I'm tired of this selective outrage and fake performative trauma. The one thing we agree on is that gen z has been screwed over by social media and smart phones. I'm a millennial so I didn't have a mobile phone, which wasn't a smart phone, until my early 20s. And I didn't get my first smart phone until my early 30s in 2015. You and i know the world they missed out on but if you tell them they have no idea what trauma even is and they need to put the phones down and go outside and see the real world they get defensive and protect their addiction. They are doomed. Tik tok will never let them go or if it does it will be so they can migrate to the next current thing app.

[@annaharris4396]

16:20 putting humor into context as a coping mechanism compared to substance abuse being used as a coping mechanism is insanely eye opening to think of it that way

[@KysEcstacy]

Yeah, the stigma of addicts is pretty fucked up. We show love to any other survivors of maladaptive coping mechanisms yet find addicts gross, stupid or creepy because of their addiction. I was addicted to benzos myself for years and tunneled further into my addiction after people around me died, i would take xanax multiple times a day so i could feel alright. I had to taper off and get sober alone despite withdrawls being deadly because i didnt want my non addict peers to hate me or find me gross. There are people out there who think narcan should be illegal because it "fuels addicts", they would rather kill people then let them potientally relapse. Ive lost so many people to laced drugs because they didnt have access to fentanyl test strips or narcan. People hear us wanting to be treated like we arent stains on humanity and people think theyre doing something when they tell us to just get sober. Sobriety is not linear, relapsing is bound to happen and only caring for someone when theyre sober is only going to kill more people, some people cant get sober on their own and dont have access to get help due to withdrawls. Even then when someone finally gets to a point where theyre considered sober theyre made fun of for using in the past and people will still assume theyre using because they did at one point

[@kungszigfrids1482]

It is much preferable.

[@ray_aesthetixx]

i mean personally i use humor

[@Shadow404x]

Fun fact: Saul Goodman uses humor as a coping mechanism.

[@speyederdreams1747]

@@ray_aesthetixx I think it’s okay, to an extent. If it’s constant and harmful to yourself or others, that’s when it becomes an issue

[@Elliot____]

I'm 13 and I've -self harmed -attempted suicide -been catcalled -abandoned -used -manipulated -gaslighted -abused by my family -traumatized heavily And people call me soft and whinny whenever I open up about my problems

[@HisashiMatsuda]

I hope you get somebody to actually express your emotions to soon. I’m not that old, and I personally think that I’ve gone through some shitty stuff as well, but I’m kinda always scared to open up to people. I guess that’s what unlimited internet access from a young age does to you lol. Just remember that there’s a ton of people that are willing to support you and can relate to you. Keep going, and don’t give up!

[@iamz_mbie]

the older generations seem to forget that gen z is a product of older generations. the difference is we value mental health a lot more these days and actually got the support we deserved from society (most likely not from our parents - an important thing to note) to be open and honest about how we feel. notice it's usually the people who became exactly what they hate that downplay our trauma. the same people who are completely unaware of their own trauma responses because they're too attached to validation and fitting in. hence why they talk down on you like their parents did. was very very happy to see this video and i highly encourage you to keep making videos that further break the stigma around mental health and authenticity 🙏🤲👏

[@heatheryyy]

We're all traumatised. We're trained to be on edge by the world and you can't live like that, your brain can't handle that. That poor kid working in Starbucks, absolutely awful that his job makes him feel that terrible. It makes me so mad that people can't just be fucking KIND. WE'RE ALL DAMAGED. I can't claim all my millenial peers, but I am sorry for those in my age group that don't get it, you'd think after everything we went through we would want to help Gen Z to cope, since shit has only gotten worse, ugh. I'm so tired.

[@eksbocks9438]

I am also a millennial. I agree. It's not right to put-down the next generation. I mean, they are the future of our country afterall.

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

I feel sorry for this dudes customers forced to wait for their lattes whilst he has his infantile meltdown. The problem is this guys in the wrong line of work. Maybe workn a loading dock or sorting glass?

[@sean5388]

>he

[@nobodyburgen4594]

@@RaptorFromWeegee jesus christ go to therapy and work through your fear of honest emotions my dude

[@coastalcapybara]

For the guy working at Starbucks, I think the problem is less them having to work at Starbucks, and more that they have to face transphobia and bigotry, which obviously is crushing.

[@EaglesFan0815]

I’m a licensed counselor and just want to say thank you so much for this video! Felt like you presented the nuances and complexities of human emotion really well, and made a lot of great insights and connections into how culture influences us to our core and affects our perceptions of these emotions

[@elliotsangestevez]

this is a relief to hear

[@EaglesFan0815]

@@elliotsangestevez lol I’m sure man, if you ever need some feedback on future videos before you post them I’d be happy to help, fully stand behind the work you’re doing

[@hundred2949]

@@EaglesFan0815 hi sorry for the question but I want to be a counselor and I wondered if you had any advice

[@EaglesFan0815]

@@hundred2949 happy to help! First I would say going to counseling on your own is so important; one to know what it’s like on the other side, and two to deal with your own stuff before you even think about taking on other people’s. I think what counseling is at it’s core, is just using your own pain and dark moments (once you’ve processed them) to show other people that there can be light and healing in those moments too.

[@Vee00001]

@@EaglesFan0815eat grass Fed/Government Boi you people get others killed by reporting people for having guns and believing in the 2nd Amendment them sending AFT bois to shoot and burn children

[@Jesper_Fox]

I have never truly understood how people can say that someone else is "soft" or just outright go at someone else for their problems. Like my brain understand the facts of why but my emotions just don't compute. My generation has had so much trauma (I am gen-z) and I never understood how anyone from any generation could be so heartless. (warning this next part is gonna be venting so if you are easily triggered please don't read on!) I experience this so much every day. My parents for some reason just believe my life is perfect and that I have no real struggles. I am 99% sure I have depression and an anxiety disorder and I am also quite likely autistic and/or have ADHD but I can't get diagnosed till I move out! (I am 16) Why is that? Well because my parents openly in our house make fun of people with mental illness but they think it's all fine because they always tell us "oh well if you have to talk about something just come tell us we won't be mad"... yeah right. I could have been tested for depression 3 times in school and they always opted me out without ever really asking if I wanted to or not. Now they haven't given me any reason to trust them and question why some of my grades are D's and just call me lazy. While they're busy nagging me about my grades, I had had attempted when I was 13-14, and I have been cutting ever since I was about 12. Then besides just that I stopped eating regular meals to the point where I got addicted to sugars and caffeine just so I could have the energy to stand up once in a while. Then (oh yeah it gets worse!) when recently I FINALLY started eating alright again my parents both started telling me how much I was eating so I stopped eating again! See this time they are watching my sugar intake a bit though so not I just feel like shit all the time. But wait! There's more! I have been experiencing clear signs of psychosis like seeing things that aren't there and hearing voices whispering to me as well as really bad paranoia. To finally top it all off my intrusive thoughts are so so much worse and I feel like actually unaliving someone. I feel dangerous like I could snap at any point and I can barely take it all anymore. I am also trans and pan living in a conservative household! Add on to that the fact that there is a trans genocide going on I don't feel so great about myself nor my future. Anyway I'd like to see someone try to say that I haven't had any trauma. The saddest part is a lot of gen-z are experiencing the same crap I am, it's not even that rare to hear people my age seriously talking about attempting just like at school. Anyway there's my rant. Sorry about the venting I just had to get it out somewhere where my parents won't find out about it.

[@nobodyofimportance3922]

The worst part about getting older and having been through numerous traumatic events is that it numbs you. That inability to grasp at joy, to view everything as another trivial instance of a trivial existence is tiring. It's boring if anything else, when nothing interests you because you feel like you've seen it all before. I think it's as close to true nihilism that you can get

[@Dzanarika1]

Beautiful comment ❤

[@summerheart9834]

Exactly.

[@aynDRAWS]

I've definitely seen this in my grandmother

[@nicbarth3838]

Scary thing is you didn't know it was there till it left you, then you question your entire life wondering if you have been going through it all, from a psychological split.

[@littlebird8515]

I'm a millennial, and I'm both heartbroken and enraged to see the older generations are giving gen Z the same BS as they did to us. You are not to soft, they are to bitter and hateful. They suffered the same trauma as us both, but instead of being empathic and supportive, they just wanted to see the younger generations hurt worse. I wish I could give everyone a big hug and tell you that your feelings are valid. The working conditions are becoming downright inhuman, and you have every right to feel angry, upset, sad, depressed, or anxious about it. You have every right to fight back against it.

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

YES, of course. Because Gen Z are just like the millennials, except worse. Its not that we lack empathy toward you, we're worried about you. You all need to toughening up. The real world won't have any patience for your weakness. You're competing in the job market with immigrants who're happy to work 12 hour days and never complain. The standard workweek in India is 7 days a week, Koreans are expected to memorize entire foreign language dictionaries in a single day, Japanese traditions of shame mandate suicide by hari kari when facing failure.Stop feeling and embrace the suck!

[@sourceisself6568]

I'm really hoping that millennials and gen z can truly end the intergenerational scape boating, blaming, etc. like lets pls work together and let the gens below us live in the better world we all want to create!

[@sunnymoon3771]

Millennial too and thinking the same. I use every chance when people talk badly about "the younger generations" to explain to them how they break so much generational trauma and how much I admire it. Most boomers usually don't get it but gen x and other millennials often react in a very positive way.

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

@@sunnymoon3771 Generational trauma? What are you talking about? Your dad make you take out the garbage? You got lectured about responsibility and got triggered? I don't think many of you kids understand the distinction between getting bummed out, and experiencing true trauma. Real trauma comes from genuinely horrible experiences like battle, death, rape, and psychological torture. For you to lay claim to trauma survivor status based on routine life challenges, its just too much. Its like cultural appropriation.

[@REALPEDROGAMEPLAYS]

I’m 14 and I’ve been a witness to a lot of things like: My parents divorcing, my whole life all I’ve known is going from my mom to my dad and back every week, but there’s so much more that I don’t feel like I can go into, and all I can really say is that through all the bad things I’ve been through, I’ve been able to remain and become a decent and relatively good person respectively. And I think that no matter how small someone’s pain might seem, it still matters, because that’s what they know, maybe they haven’t been through what you have, but in their shoes, it’s still painful to them, and deserving of care and support.

[@lulianjuliuswassbach]

I'm 17 and i got kicked out by my abusive parents when i was 15. I don't think i have it easier than my parents or grandparents because they didn't got kicked out as a young teenager and got to go to university pretty much stress free because their parents paid for it. My parents on the other hand don't even want to pay for my school meals.

[@TheBoozeHound]

Coming from a currently 17-year-old gen Z, I love this video, because it really opens an appropriate version of a conversation about how society treats us and how we're supposed to "handle" trauma. I've been told several times I type in a very mature manner, but it's not my choice to speak like this. There are countless drafts and rewrites of comments I make simply because my anxiousness and the things I've experienced make me rethink and overexplain EVERYTHING I say. I've been forced to turn myself into a mindless, "mature", machine. And even then, I have countless other problems like anger issues, depression, etc. that makes having relationships and maintaining them difficult. The Starbucks barista situation was one such moment where my blood just boils because it really just exemplifies how little alot of adults care about our wellbeing. I've seen the work that Starbucks baristas do, it's horrible and that's not even counting how much work they probably have to do while in college. That's not even counting the fact the dude is trans and the world - while it has been getting better - is extremely hostile to transgender people. The fact these near 30+ year old adults felt the need to bully a transgender college student just because they mentally broke from a horrible job is so gross. What really makes it worse is their excuse for it all. They claim that they can say all of this and misgender the kid because, "Well I had a 8 hour job as a worker when I was 15! They can suck it up." It honestly blows my mind how many adults claim they "care" about us until we actually show struggle. Or just in general how much they love to step on us, thinking it'll make us better. News flash: that doesn't help. You're a horrible person for doing it. You need to guide children, not be their enemy. If you seriously bully a struggling person just because you had "a harder time" than them; learn and grow up. Because clearly you didn't from the struggle you had. But, aside from that. If there is one thing I'll always recite, it's, "Everyone always wants to be a mental health advocate until they're faced with the actual symptoms." and when it comes to people like the ones who targeted the barista, that can't ring more than true. Anyhow and overall, I love this video and I hope more videos like it come out. This is a genuine conversation that needs to be had, yet not a lot of people are covering it.

[@justarandomstranger2898]

I really love ur thoughts!! As a 17yr old,who was also forced to be 'mature' but still struggles with mental health issues,I relate a lot 🫂🫂🫂

[@peeblekitty5780]

Not able to articulate my thoughts very well right now, but yeah, god, same here with like all of this. Down to the hunter pfp, cherry on top 😭

[@dxrk_rxign]

As also a 17 yr old trans guy, I agree. At my work I wear a pronoun pin but I get dirty looks and misgendering all the time. I work one day a week for 8 hrs, and plan to take on a second job soon bc I’m gonna have to travel. I just wish older generations would understand, even just a little bit.

[@patray162]

This is an extremely important and understated point, thank you for making it. Coming from a closeted LGBT+ 29 y/o millennial (with CPTSD/etc).... I do not know how so many struggling Gen-Zers carry the weight of daily psychological abuse while playing along on society's required path. All human generations endure it to some degree, but never have insecure adults so collectively called "open season" on youths whose individuality and (justified) discontent feels like a threat to the status quo. And they STILL justify it as if somehow the kids will be better off having some terror instilled as response to the way they exist. The f***ing nerve! Adults who DO NOT KNOW the science of mental health or what it feels like to face reality outside their comfort bubbles, and behave like this, do NOT care. They ARE assholes. And they need to be called out as such. So thank you. In my adolescent/teenage years we weren't allowed to even broach the subject of mental health to begin with, it was either 1) you are an ungrateful wretch for having these trauma reactions and you better shame yourself back into silent performance, or 2) you are weak and flawed but if you can secretly see a professional and declare your problems “fixed”, you’ll be given another chance to pretend to be fine for the rest of your life; you’re welcome, good luck surviving. Now that waves of youths are speaking up at the same time, it’s like society's low-key assholes feel the need to eject hate at kids/innocents as loudly as possible…it’s DISGUSTING. But having the dialogue at all is necessary for change. So thank you Gen Z, not that you asked for the role. Support/resources via the internet is the one generational difference I see in the "positives" column, but NO amount of support washes away being attacked for who you are by floods of people who don't even f***ng know your story, or the first thing about enduring mental illness, or what it's like to live in these shit circumstances that older generations fostered. Thus I find myself repeatedly blown away by the courage of today's youths who are repeatedly attacked by strangers for what they can't control and still show up every day AS THEMSELVES. Maybe one day I will wear a pronoun pin like another commenter here, but until then I'll be thanking y'all and trying to never make assumptions about the experiences and obstacles the younger generations face. P.S. Try as I might to just let things be messy, it takes me about 2-3 hours to draft and leave a typical short YT comment... So if you ever find yourself working crazy overtime in secret because of anxious sh*t like this, don't let anyone shame you for it, you are not alone. I also have agoraphobia and I find that some of my panic symptoms now happen in certain digital spaces as well, but I have never heard of that as a topic before. Which signals to me that we REALLY "don't know what we don't know" about the effects of socialization moving online. Good luck to us all. *EDIT!* I just want to add a clarifying note because I worry I left the impression of, "THANKS GOOD LUCK," as in "not actually gonna help you though; the closet is fine enough for me," which is not at all what I wished to express. Many millennials are deeply stuck in chronic dissociative posttraumatic and fear states, grasping hard to find a sense of self or social scaffolding for support; managing triggers to stay out of hospitals as priority 1, not to mention depression/anxiety and comorbid trauma-related disorders; compounded by all the ways queerness and expressing trauma were stamped out from within and outside of our childhood homes at the soonest/slightest signs; and now, witnessing the next generation boldly choosing the truth and basically getting burned at the stake for it. Being misgendered as a kid in the 90s (most scarring was once being physically grabbed and moved/almost carried by a stranger out of a public restroom even though I was using the "correct" one for my birth gender and in the mirror later I couldn't figure out where I went so wrong...what did I need to copy better to be "allowed" in public?)... well I can't compare it to the abuse kids take today, but I think it's really the fact that that kind of public shame was/is reinforced with laughter and derision by all of my "protectors" and "friends", with no openly nonbinary peers until my late 20s, that makes it such an uphill battle to come out. I've tried again recently with a friend who came out as gay earlier during the pandemic (yay!) and the gutting response to my cautious intro sentence was: "Oh, yeah, it's in to be queer right now..." WTF? I did not interject to clarify that I was about to share the core identity I have hidden my whole life at the cost of immense loneliness and suffering. I just died inside, dissociated further, and spent months trying to calm my nervous system from the surprise of that reaction. My gut tells me he may have been triggered by the idea of not being "special" and celebrated if another friend were to come out later in the same year, and that it was spoken more out of ignorance and entitlement than intended coldness. But my CPTSD doesn't give a fuck, and when that was followed shortly by a steady peppering of transphobic comments, it hit me so hard that I haven't worked up the courage to speak to or see any friends since then, coming up on 6 months. I can emotionally deal with, and always hold myself to, saying SOMETHING when I witness or hear something transphobic, homophobic, along with other hate speech when it's directed toward others and not myself. But that is a starting point and not an end state. I hope to heal to the point of working directly in advocacy and expressing my true self while helping others develop the skills to do the same; and I have met many other millennials in similar positions, though it's just my anecdotal opinion that this phenomenon suffocates generation-to-generation support. That's one reason I so appreciate your comment on a specific and critical gap in dialogue. SO MUCH rambling at this point, sorry to not be more concise, hopefully it was worth clarifying after the rather passive and unhelpful way believe I expressed my gratitude before. TLDR; rather than just wishing you luck I hope our two generations will grow closer through finding common ground in how we're affected by normalization of identity hate/abuse/victim-blaming. If it means anything, I am not a hopeful person by any means but I have developed some small personal hope that in the next few years we'll see increasing numbers of strengthened millennials using the age position between Gens X & Z to participate in a more united front on asserting rights, negotiating, and killing outdated expectations.

[@localcatnipdealer]

I'm 13, and relate with some of the things youve said. my parents reluctantly put me on depression meds 2 years ago after my doctor insisted 3 times I needed to be on medication. and then after that they had the idea to belittle me and tell me I was wasting their money and I was completely fine as I had lived an "easy life". around this time I found out I was gay through some not so very good interactions, and from snooping my parents found out. and ofc, they belittled me day in day out for it for around 2 weeks. it sucked. I was taken off meds 7 months into it because my parents thought I had "healed" so I learned to suppress my emotions. with the mature thing, I'm a middle child, and I was forced to grow up quickly and take care of my sister who's 10 months younger than me. I was expected to excel in school, extra-curricular activities, and home life. but when I broke from the pressure, they (my parents) yelled at me. to think I still have about 4 years till I leave home to live with my now 21 y/o brother hurts. seeing things like the barista just lowers my expectations of society, and scares me about going into the adult world. it's scary, and traumatizing. I can't believe I as a 13 y/o have to worry about this. I turn 14 soon and it scares me that I'm getting closer and closer to having to deal with belittlement from selfish power-hungry adults.

[@serioussleuth6677]

I had a therapist years ago tell me ptsd is something soldiers have when i asked if maybe i had some form of it from my childhood because i experience a lot of symptoms. She told this to a woman that, even living in an apartment, heard a noise that sounds like a garage door opening and used to have a panic attack from it. Who cries when her partner puts dishes away too hard/loudly because I'm convinced I'm going to be yelled at for not doing them before he did. I think it's absolutely imperative to acknowledge and validate all types of trauma. This is a really good in depth look at trauma and its effects on this generation. You did a lot of good work on this video.

[@mintyhippo8125]

If you haven’t already, you should look into complex PTSD

[@whatisthis1958]

I hope you got that therapist fired because they are objectively wrong there and they should not have a licence to practice if that's the shit they're saying

[@personone1382]

tf?? "soldier" isn't part of the definition of ptsd... i hope you have lots of support from your partner and others through your life journey

[@glamrock_kat]

that doesn’t mean you hv pstd, it sounds like anxiety which almost everyone has, but more severe

[@glamrock_kat]

adding on im the same sometimes, don’t dismiss professionals and get a second opinion

[@sparkymularkey6970]

I've been making my way through the audiobook of "The Body Keeps the Score" and it's truly eye-opening. We all need a little more empathy and compassion for ourselves and others.

[@MGTMusic]

Man, I'm trying so hard not to give up. I'm trying to be functional in this system, but I can't make it work. I keep moving forward hoping that I will find a job that doesn't make me feel miserable, a way to contribute everything I have to give. However, I can't help but feeling that the system has no place for people like me. It has been 4 years without social media because it hurt me so bad consuming all that garbage. But this makes me feel I'm getting behind with the world, a world that is virtual now. Sometimes I get inspired by other people speaking up, by social movements that emphasize what we are going thru, but some other times I lose all hope. I'm lost and disappointed by coaches, therapists, and content creators that give advice to overcome this. I have tried so many things, I keep assisting to therapy, taking my meds, doing everything they tell me to do, but still I feel stuck. Nobody has the right answer, at the end is up to us. Knowing that you have to keep moving forward on your own is hard.

[@BlakeGeometrio]

I feel this. I've just accepted that life will never get better for me and I will succumb to the pain soon.

[@middleofnowhere1313]

I'm Gen X. I do take this seriously. People have more responsibilities than resources these days. As far as I know, Gen X started to experience this trend and it only got worse over time, with Gen Z having an incredible burden. I struggle to pay basic bills while working a professional job full time. Things are terrible, everyone is screwed right now and I really hope it can somehow be turned around before we all break.

[@Dzanarika1]

Very true. I feel like we are all going to go mental soon, it is scary.

[@mosthated.e.2422]

@@Dzanarika1 take a breather, mediate, and get into spirituality

[@uncroppedsoop]

@@mosthated.e.2422 I know you're just providing advice by your own experience but you should probably preface it as such because online it's very easy to come off as condescending by accident

[@ryans1623]

I could not even get a job at 16 in the 80s even to work for free to get foot in the door, had to get a job cleaning my dads office, but felt proud having a job, unlike kids today who think anything but being an influencer is beneath them

[@uncroppedsoop]

@@ryans1623 kinda hard to take your point seriously with "kids today" prefacing it. it's kinda like, the standard old guy phrase. don't get me wrong, that type totally exists, I can't stand em, made it hell in school just trying to get through a rough patch in life, but being that I kinda _am_ part of that age group, I can say that most of my peers just want to get by at all and finding a job that you can be proud of comes far beneath surviving whatsoever. I actually wanted to pick up fishing and then selling them at a farmer's market, it's a bit freelance and probably wouldn't carry me alone but I liked the idea. turns out there's a pretty hard and fast limit on how many fish I'd be allowed to catch, that would immediately stamp out that plan. lots of shit like that gets in the way of being much more than a cashier or a burger flipper who has to decide what days to have full meals and decide between bills to pay and ones to let go, and sometimes people even get turned down for those jobs. gen z is a lot of things, but privileged (at least as a generation because there are obviously outliers), isn't one of them