The Rise of Milestone Anxiety Among Millenials and Gen Z [Video]

Eventually, the group settles, orders something. The chat shifts from the small moments in everyone’s life to the bigger events: new houses, new careers, new family members. 

There it is, that sudden tightness in your chest. You shift in your seat, touch your cheeks with the back of your hand. You knew this would happen, yet you still feel helpless. 

Familiar scene? You’re not alone. Milestone anxiety is on the rise, especially among Millenials and Gen Zers. But what is milestone anxiety? How do you recognise its symptoms? And what steps can you take to ease its influence? 

Let’s explore. 

Milestone Anxiety: a definition

Collectively, we understand anxiety as an emotion marked by worrying, tense feelings, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. We often pair anxiety with fear, and often we use the terms interchangeably. But there’s a distinct difference. 

Fear is seeing a fin in the water when you’re surfing; it’s immediate, short-lived, rational, and appropriate. …