Whatever Happened to the Whatever Generation?

Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980), sometimes called the sandwich generation or the latchkey generation, has reached middle age and according to research they are doing worse mentally than either their parents or grandparents. In this article we are going to discuss what measures of health Gen X are struggling with, look at what is causing the stress, and how we can work to improve our overall health and functioning. 

Current Numbers

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of mental health conditions reported. According to NAMI one in five adults will experience mental illness each year, and one out of every twenty adults will experience a serious mental illness each year. Research from the American Psychological Association indicated that Gen Z and Gen X both reported the greatest decrease in their mental health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

There is also a possibility that for Gen X the true number of people struggling with psychological problems might be higher. Though Gen X grew up during a time when institutionalization was being phased out the mentality remained that seeking care for psychological help was only something done for those who were in really bad shape. On the one hand this has caused Gen X to be quite resilient but on the other they tend to be dismissive of their own struggles noting ‘its not that bad.’ 

When writing her book Why We Can’t Sleep Women’s New Midlife Crisis author Ada Calhoun even noted that many of her subjects didn’t recognize their own struggles until they spoke about it in detail. So while the numbers from Gen X are not great, there is a possibility that they are even more significant than has been found in current research. 

What Problems Are Being Seen?

In measures of both physical health and mental health Gen X is not fairing well. Specifically Gen X seems to be at an increased risk of heart disease related to obesity. Gen X is also struggling more with substance use and abuse than other generations. Suicide rates are also of concern for Gen X. As will be discussed further below the stress load for Gen X significantly increased during the great recession of 2008, and while financially Gen X has mostly recovered, mentally things have stayed about the same for them. 

As noted above those in Gen X tend to not view their problems as being that bad. While growing up Gen X kids were often left on their own and told to ‘suck it up’ when hurt. This is a fiercely independent generation that would be out of the home from sun up to sun down and whom were expected in large part to take care of themselves. While this created a lot of residency in the generation it also created a sense of needing to always solve problems themselves. Gen X does not view their struggles as being anything worth bothering over. 

This independent attitude might provide some insight into the issues of substance use and abuse as well as obesity. Those in Gen X are trying to solve their own problems rather than asking for help. So while there is an independent drive for members of Gen X that drive might also be causing harm and health problems. 

Fortunately, such challenges can be overcome. As the primary health challenges facing Gen X are related to behaviors, that means that behavior change can offer a possible solution. This is not to say that changing is easy, changing is one of the most difficult things for humans to do, more this is a reflection that there is a possible solution for those in Gen X who are struggling. 

To help understand how to connect with Gen X to create meaningful behavioral change let us first seek to understand where this resilient and independent attitude came from. 

Living in Interesting Times 

There is an old curse that simply states “may you live in interesting times.” Gen X, and the generations that followed, have certainly lived in interesting times. When Gen X was young crime in the US was at an all time high (Calhoun, 2020). The cold war was a constant background fear. Many Gen Xers watched the Challenger explode live on TV in their schools. Xers were entering the workforce during the recession of the early 90’s and experienced the burst of the tech bubble at the end of the 90’s. Then they experienced 9/11, the great recession of 2008, and most recently the global pandemic of 2020. 

This all has been a lot for Gen X to live through. As noted above the 2008 great recession negatively impacted Gen X’s mental health. While financially Gen X seems to have recovered, there was no notable improvement mentally for Gen X since the 2008 recession. Gen X saw their investments dwindle, their parents losing their retirement savings, and for those who had children an increased pressure to ensure they would be able to provide for their children. 

Gen X is also referred to as the sandwich generation as they are typically being asked to care for their young children while also being asked to care for their aging parents. It is possible that the 2008 recession increased the ‘squeeze’ of this sandwich which has only increased since the global pandemic. Gen X has been worrying about the health and welfare of their aging parents while also ensuring that their children are able to learn and focus in online schooling. 

This all is to say this is a lot of responsibility that has fallen on the shoulders of the generation the coined the phrase and attitude of “whatever”. Called slackers and losers in the 90’s now they are shouldering the load of responsibility. 

What Can Be Done

Understanding that things can be different from how they are is an important first step. Many Gen X’ers are getting therapy for the first time in their lives. If in reading this article you recognized any of the struggles know you are not alone and things can change. There are many things that are out of our control but through getting help, finding community, and focusing on what matters most in your life things can feel better and be better.