In 2025, our collective mental health in the U.S. is worsening, with some reports calling it a “crisis.” But when it comes to millennials and Gen Z employees, that national concern may be even more urgent with financial anxiety driving the crisis.A Modern Health report published today revealed just how mentally strained 18- to 44-year-old workers are, and the findings are troubling. In a survey of 1,000 American professionals within the age range, a staggering 79% said that economic uncertainty is fueling their anxiety. A dismal 16% rated their mental health as excellent.
For millennials and Gen Z, financial anxiety seems to be all encompassing. Three in four workers said it is to blame for their burnout, 68% said it interferes with their ability to be productive at work, and it keeps 76% up at night, routinely disturbing their sleep.
In a press release, Matt Levin, CEO of Modern Health, said, “Our latest report reveals that many of today’s young workers are quietly pushing through mounting mental health challenges just to keep up at work.”
One massive issue seems to be the feeling that they can’t step away or log off. Nearly three quarters (74%) said they’ve delayed taking time off due to financial concerns. And 77% say they check emails when they do take time off. A concerning 80% said they’ve sacrificed their mental health for work and 77% say they’ve even worked through a mental health crisis.
While you might think 18- to 44-year-olds are more in tune with mental health concerns than older age groups, they largely feel forced to ignore their mental health concerns. Over half (58%) said they delayed seeking mental health care until their symptoms became unmanageable, with 66% pointing to financial stress as the reason for delaying getting the care they needed.
“For many employees, the pressure to perform outweighs the permission to pause,” Jessica Watrous, senior director of Clinical Research and Scientific Affairs at Modern Health, said in the report. “They want to do well, but they feel they can’t ask for help even when they need it most.”
Gen Z and millennials say they want mental health support at work, but aren’t getting it or the support isn’t effective. In fact, nearly three quarters (71%) say that company mental health programs just mask toxic work culture that deprioritizes employee mental health over all.
While an overwhelming majority, (96%) say prevention is key, with 94% saying it would improve their life overall, and 52% saying that mental health care would increase the trust they have in their employer, the vast majority do not feel a culture of prevention exists in their workplace. Only 31% of employees actually feel that their employers care about their mental health and create work cultures that support it.
Millennials and Gen Z are struggling, while not getting the help they need. They also feel stuck. While 52% have considered quitting due to mental health concerns, 69% said they’re avoiding changing jobs, even if it means staying in toxic environments.
Essentially, financial anxiety is simply so crushing, that making changes—whether that be seeking help or getting a new job—feels impossible.
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