Job availability, decreased savings, and the inability to buy a home are just some of the concerns on the minds of millennials says a Calgary counsellor as he discusses issues affecting that age group.
Marcus Cheung, manager of counselling initiatives with the Calgary Counselling Centre adds that in the post-pandemic era, another stress has been added with inflation.
“Mainly after COVID, it’s the financial pressure that people are feeling and the extra work that they have to put in to achieve the same quality of living.”
Cheung notes both in-person and in virtual sessions people including the millennial age group talk about the amount of stress they are feeling with the state of the economy.
“A lot of unpredictability, job losses in the last few years with the pandemic of course – that does contribute to a lot of mental health distress in individuals,” says Cheung.
While everyone is facing economic challenges, Cheung zeroes in on the pressure millennials face to pursue their goals.
“It’s really about people feeling responsible to achieve their dreams and the margin to do that is quite difficult. It’s slim with what’s going on in the world right now.”
He suggests giving yourself patience and compassion “recognizing there is a lot on your plate and try to prioritize” and talk to a professional when you feel the stress is overwhelming.
“The bad days are not going to last forever, and every generation has its difficulties and struggles. It does require a lot of strength and resiliency,” says Cheung.
