Dyan Flores isn't where she thought she would be after graduating from New York University with a degree in dramatic literature, theater history and cinema in 2007.
"I did a lot of internships at theater companies, television networks, public relations companies. They would always tell us, 'Do a great job right now and you'll end up with a great job when you graduate,'" she said. "But that didn't really happen. I sort of pictured having a more consistent, regular 'grown-up' job."
At 28, Flores works multiple jobs, worries about bills and student loans and tries to tear herself away from social media, where she said she sometimes sees fellow classmates bragging about their success. She's not unhappy with her positions as a teaching artist and receptionist-she just thought things would be different.
Flores is a Millennial: a generation that increasingly is being painted as just plain stressed-out.
Thirty-nine percent of the Millennial generation-ages 18 to 33-reported a higher level of stress in 2012 than the previous year, the largest jump of any generation, according to a recent survey, "Stress in America," by the American Psychological Association. The same survey found Millennials ranking their levels of stress higher than any other generational age group, with almost half reporting they aren't doing enough to manage their stress.
The Millennial faces some harsh realities. The unemployment rate for 18- to 29-year-olds is 13.1 percent, and people under 30 carry an average student loan debt of more than $20,000. Social media is a constant reminder of what peers are accomplishing, and psychologists see Millennial patients reporting sleep problems, panic attacks and even high blood pressure.
"It's this sort of notion of, 'When is it going to get better?'" said Nancy Molitor, a Wilmette clinical psychologist and public education coordinator for the APA. "This is the first generation that feels like they are not going to surpass their parents. That's historic in our society."
Molitor said about a third of the Millennials who seek help at her practice complain of sleep problems from stress and anxiety. Many, she said, use caffeine during the day to keep themselves going-only to use alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs at night to come down.
"It's so sad to see this generation with these types of diseases," she said, adding that she sees patients with panic and anxiety disorders and depression. "Twenty-five years old with high blood pressure? You rarely saw that 15 years ago."
She said many patients also feel anger at their situations, whether it's being unable to move out or facing mounting student loan debt.
"They don't have a sense of the future being any better, they feel like they are trapped in this existence, this Neverland," she said. "They want to grow up, they want to be responsible adults."
But even those whose lives are panning out as they had hoped feel pressure. Brittany Graunke, 28, of Lincoln Park, said she feels it's "do or die" time for her career, and anxiety can come along with it. As the CEO and founder of ZealousGood, a 2-year-old startup that pairs users with nonprofits that can benefit from unwanted goods, she has a never-ending to-do list.
"It's a rare day I don't feel some level of stress," she said. "I often have to make a concerted effort to manage my anxiety about all the things that are on my plate."
Much of the stress she feels, she said, is due to feeling constantly connected. Graunke sleeps next to her phone and often will check emails in the middle of the night. She feels guilty when she's not working and finds it difficult to disconnect.
"From my perspective, we're being raised in a 24-hour life cycle; you're always accessible and always in contact," she said.
Not all Millennials feel the crunch, however. Pete Mondejar, 27, an analyst and trader from Lincoln Park, says he feels he has less stress than most of his peers. Sure, waking up at 4 a.m. to study for tests to become a chartered financial analyst is stressful, as is missing social time with friends. But having wanted to work in finance from a young age, he feels he's in a good place.
"I feel like I am in a somewhat privileged position," he said. "I feel like I have a very decent job. I'm a little less stressed than most people."
Flores said that although stress creeps up on her when a former classmate boasts about a new job on social media, or the bills pile up, she tries to keep things in perspective. Perhaps Millennials aren't as stressed as they seem, she says. Maybe they're just more willing to share.
"I don't know that we're more stressed. I think we're just more comfortable admitting it," Flores said. "We're probably more vocal than any other generation. We're given so many outlets. We have our Facebook statuses, Twitter feeds, Instagrams. If this was the 1940s, we'd be Instagramming pictures of our draft letters. We have it easier than that."
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