Most people equate chronic illnesses with the elderly, but a recent Harris Poll
study reveals that 44% of millennials born between 1981-1988 have been diagnosed with at least one chronic health condition.
What’s really alarming is that 4 of the top 5 chronic health conditions (and 6 of the top 10) among millennials fall into the mental or behavioral health category, according to a
study from Blue Cross Blue Shield. And the rates for these conditions are rising dramatically. That’s not even counting the increases so many people have experienced due to the pandemic.
It begs the question: What’s wrong with millennials?
Top 10 Conditions Among Older Millennials
Millennials include those born between the years 1981-1996, but the BCBS study focused on older millennials (ages 34-36 in 2017). The findings are disturbing and show that adults in the age range are struggling. Here are the top 10 chronic conditions among older millennials with the mental and behavioral issues highlighted in bold.
- Major depression
- Substance use disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
- Hypertension
- Hyperactivity
- Psychotic conditions*
- Crohn’s disease/ulcerative colitis
- High cholesterol
- Tobacco use disorder
- Type II diabetes
*Note that psychotic conditions included a wide variety of disorders, including schizoid, delusional, paranoid, dissociative, personality, hysteria, tics, sexual, gender, identity, food-related, somatoform, affective, childhood disintegrative, pervasive developmental, and more.
What were the two conditions that saw the biggest increases in prevalence from 2014 to 2017? Major depression (31% increase) and hyperactivity (29% increase). In a newer
BCBS study from 2019 that tracked statistics from 2017-2018, the biggest spikes were seen in major depression (12% increase) and alcohol use disorder (7% increase).
What’s even more alarming is that millennials are experiencing all of these conditions at a higher rate compared to Gen Xers when they were the same age (34-36).
Millennials, Pandemic Bad Habits, and the Brain
According to the
2019 study by Blue Cross Blue Shield, millennials—all millennials, not just the older ones—are also some of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with 92% saying COVID-19 had a negative impact on their mental health. Among millennials, the pandemic contributed to major increases in unhealthy behaviors, including:
- 34% increase in alcohol consumption
- 20% increase in smoking
- 17% increase in vaping
- 16% increase in non-medical drug use
At Amen Clinics and in Dr. Daniel Amen’s book,
Your Brain Is Always Listening, these are referred to as “
Bad Habit Dragons.” These inner dragons breathe fire on your emotional brain and fuel habits that don’t serve you.
Inside your brain, there is a constant dance between your prefrontal cortex (involved in focus, judgment, and impulse control), your amygdala (the part of your emotional brain that responds to threats), and your basal ganglia (where habits are shaped and stored). When the PFC is healthy and strong, it can help direct and supervise the addition of healthy habits. When it is weak, you are more easily influenced by untamed dragons, and your impulses can take over, causing many bad habits to form. Once formed, good or bad habits take the same amount of energy.
The rampant stress and anxiety of the pandemic weakened peoples’ PFCs and led to an increase in bad habits. This helps explain the rise in drinking, smoking, vaping, and recreational drug use during the pandemic.
The Link Between Mental Health and Physical Health
Millennials who have behavioral health conditions are also at greater risk of having chronic health conditions. They are 2.7 times more likely to have coronary artery disease, 2.1 times more likely to have diabetes, 1.9 times more likely to have Crohn’s disease/ulcerative colitis or hypertension, and 1.7 times more likely of having high cholesterol.
The mental health/physical health connection goes both ways. At Amen Clinics, we have found that your physical health greatly impacts your mental well-being. Problems with blood flow (such as hypertension),
inflammation,
head trauma,
exposure to toxins, infections (such as
Lyme disease or
COVID-19), autoimmune diseases,
hormonal imbalances, and diabesity (obesity and diabetes) all contribute to psychiatric problems. Learning to improve these areas of your life can enhance your mental health.
Depression, anxiety, aggression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
