Is Anxious the New Normal? Majority of Generation Z Admits to Feeling Anxiety in Their Daily Lives

Woburn, MA – November 26, 2018 –Kaspersky Lab is releasing a new report today, which revealed that Generation Z faces the highest anxiety levels of any age group, with the vast majority admitting that they are worried about something in their lives and that they do not seek professional advice to help them cope. In line with its global commitment to turn insecurity into security, Kaspersky Lab has joined forces with digital youth charity The Mix to help young people from around the world embrace their own insecurities through a new campaign – #AndOwningIt.

Facing a world dominated by social media, nearly half of Generation Z (aged 13 to 23) said they feel the most anxious about their appearance – more anxious than about their career prospects, money, terrorism or being bullied. The study revealed that these feelings can have an impact on young people’s behavior, including how they approach social media. For example, Gen Z-ers are spending an average of an hour and 11 minutes editing their photos or videos before posting them on social media platforms, in an attempt to create a more curated perception of how they look and appear “perfect.” 

Notably, the study revealed that young women are more insecure than young men, and they feel much more anxious about their appearance than their male counterparts. Nearly double the number of female Gen Z-ers, when compared to male Gen Z-ers (56% vs. 33%) admit to changing their eating habits, such as overeating or refraining from eating, because of appearance-related anxieties. Furthermore, 36 percent of females admitted to having skipped a social event in the past year due to anxiety.

Despite this high level of anxiety, the study also found that Generation Z does not seek help to cope with these emotions. The majority young people (86%) do not visit a doctor for advice on how to manage their anxieties.

To help address these challenges, Kaspersky Lab has joined forces with The Mix, a digital youth charity supporting people under the age of 25, to launch a new campaign to encourage Generation Z to turn their insecurities into securities. This new campaign – #AndOwningIt – aims to help young people lead happier lives by empowering them to embrace the things that make them feel insecure and allowing them realize that these insecurities are not barriers to happiness.  

To support this campaign, Kaspersky Lab and The Mix have designed a line of t-shirts featuring Gen Z’s most common insecurities, encouraging young people to wear them to show acceptance of their insecurities and start a conversation. All profits from the t-shirt sales will go to The Mix. 

“Across the world there are global issues which all Gen Z citizens face, but there is still a stigma surrounding how they share their feelings and talking openly about mental health,” said Chris Martin, CEO of The Mix. “Feeling anxious or worried can become very isolating for young people – but the truth is that there are many who struggle with how they feel, and things do get better. Our new campaign will help young people show others that they are not held back by any of their insecurities and the often hostile atmosphere of social media does not have to impact them. We are delighted to join forces with Kaspersky Lab and continue our important work of helping Generation Z open up about their mental health and empowering them to flourish. We’re calling for everyone to own the aspect of their lives that others may criticise, or they are worried about, to prove there are no boundaries in becoming confident and successful.”

“For many years, Kaspersky Lab has helped families and businesses fight online insecurity and remain protected from cyberthreats,” said Ilijana Vavan, managing director for Europe, Kaspersky Lab. “Now we want to help young people around the globe turn their insecurities into securities and overcome their real-life anxieties, as they try to prosper in a digital age that no other generation has faced before. They fear they won’t be able to be successful and happy due to circumstances that are both in and out of their control. This campaign is to help Generation Z realize they only create these barriers inside themselves, and it’s in their own hands to get past these insecurities and own them.”

Members of Generation Z are encouraged to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AndOwningIt, as well as purchase a t-shirt to show their support.

As part of its study, Kaspersky Lab surveyed 1,003 13- to 23-year-olds in the UK to discover more about their insecurities and anxieties. To find out more and read the report findings, visit the Kaspersky Lab website. For specific help in managing anxiety and other mental health challenges, reach out to The Mix – the information and support they offer is universal and can be accessed internationally. 

About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company which has been operating in the market for over 20 years. Kaspersky Lab’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into next generation security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

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Meghan Rimol
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meghan.rimol@kaspersky.com