Anxiety, Gen Z, and You

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Anxiety for Gen Z continues to escalate. A 2023 U.S. survey found that 47% of Gen Z respondents (ages 12–26) said they often or always felt anxious (highest among 21–23-year-olds at 59%). 

Thank god I am not in practice anymore becauseI just read that they have something called an “anxiety bag”::

Enter the “anxiety bag,” also known as a “panic pouch,” a trend gaining attention among Gen Z on social media. These small bags are packed with items meant to help ease anxiety on the go, from sensory tools and calming scents to snacks and headphones.

Yes, this is real. Want to see a picture?

Again, this is real. Play-Doh is a necessity, I guess. But there is also something called an Anxiety Ring and the Squishy. Seems like a lot of people are trying to make some serious cash off this illness. So why not CouplaBeers?

But is their anxiety actually a diagnosis of GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)? Does it matter? I don’t know, but affects them even though 91.4% of worries experienced by people with anxiety never come true.

This does not mean anxiety in your patients should be ignored, nor am I trying to make fun of Gen Z (maybe a little). My real question is: what are you all doing about this in your DPC practice?

About Douglas Farrago, MD

Dr. Farrago is a retired family physician based in Forest, Virginia. Since 2021, he has run DPCnews.com, a leading resource for the Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement. He is the author of three best-selling books on Direct Primary Care: The Official Guide to Starting Your Own Direct Primary Care Practice The Direct Primary Care Doctor’s Daily Motivational Journal Slowing the Churn in Direct Primary Care (While Also Keeping Your Sanity) In 2016, Dr. Farrago conceived the idea for the Direct Primary Care Alliance and co-founded the organization alongside other pioneering DPC physicians. He is widely recognized as a leading expert in the DPC model and frequently lectures to medical students, residents, and practicing physicians on how to successfully start and run their own DPC practices. Dr. Farrago sold his Direct Primary Care practice in October 2020.