Journalist Abigail Shrier on Gen Z's Anxiety Problem and Why Therapy May Not Be the Solution

Who is Journalist Abigail Shrier on Gen Z's Anxiety Problem and Why Therapy May Not Be the Solution?

Taken from JRE 2109 w/Abigail Shrier:

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Abigail Shrier argues that therapy culture may be inadvertently worsening anxiety in Gen Z rather than helping it
• 02Social media and constant connectivity is amplifying anxiety disorders instead of solving underlying issues
• 03Gen Z faces unique psychological pressures from being constantly documented and compared online
• 04Shrier questions whether the explosion in diagnosed anxiety disorders reflects real increases or over-diagnosis
• 05The discussion covers how rumination and reassurance-seeking can trap people in anxiety cycles
• 06Joe and Abigail explore alternative approaches to managing anxiety beyond traditional therapy models
• ▶Shrier introduces her thesis that therapy may be worsening Gen Z anxiety0:00:00
• ▶Discussion of social media's role in amplifying anxiety and comparison0:15:30
• ▶Shrier explains how reassurance-seeking can trap people in anxiety cycles0:28:00
• ▶Conversation about Gen Z being the first generation with fully documented adolescence0:42:15
• ▶Joe and Shrier explore alternatives to current therapy models0:55:00

The Show

Abigail Shrier sits down with Joe to discuss what she sees as a troubling trend: Gen Z's anxiety epidemic and whether our current approach to treating it is actually making things worse. The conversation kicks off with Shrier laying out a counterintuitive argument that while therapy and mental health awareness have become more accessible, anxiety rates among young people continue to skyrocket rather than improve.

Shrier digs into the role social media plays in all this. She argues that platforms designed to keep people engaged are fundamentally at odds with mental health, especially for teenagers whose brains are still developing. The constant comparison, documentation, and performative nature of social media creates a feedback loop where anxiety feeds engagement, which feeds more anxiety. It's not just depressing content either. Even positive, highlight-reel posts can trigger anxiety through comparison.

One of the key points Shrier makes is that therapy itself, when misapplied or overused, can become part of the problem. She discusses how reassurance-seeking and rumination, even when framed as processing emotions, can actually reinforce anxiety patterns rather than break them. Joe seems genuinely intrigued by this angle since it goes against the grain of mainstream mental health messaging.

The conversation also touches on how Gen Z grew up in a fundamentally different world than previous generations. They're the first to have their entire adolescence potentially documented online. There's no private teenage experience anymore. Every embarrassment, every insecurity, every moment of awkwardness can be screenshotted and resurface. That's a level of social pressure that didn't exist before.

Shrier raises questions about whether the dramatic increase in diagnosed anxiety disorders represents an actual increase in anxiety or if we're better at identifying it, naming it, and potentially over-pathologizing normal stress responses. This gets at deeper questions about how we define mental health and what constitutes something that needs clinical intervention versus something that requires lifestyle changes.

Throughout the episode, Joe and Shrier explore what might actually help Gen Z more effectively than the current model. The discussion suggests that part of the solution might involve addressing the root causes like social media use and digital connectivity rather than just treating the symptoms with therapy that may inadvertently reinforce anxious thought patterns.

Best Quotes