18 Health Conditions Affecting Millennials

Major Depression

Business Insider conducted a mental health study as a part of World Mental Health Day and found out that a majority of millennials are suffering from depression and deaths of despair. Depression is one of the concerning issues in millennials that have been affecting both their personal and professional life.

Millennials who deal with depression avoid social interactions as much as possible that further pushes them toward the dearth of depression. Around 45% of American millennials have showcased anti-social behavior and the sole reason being depression. Every year, the number of depression cases in millennials is increasing, and there’s possibly nothing specific that can be done to decrease the rates other than taking proper medications.

Nearly half of the American millennials are suffering from depression, but one in five of them are not seeking any treatment and living with this severe mental issue. According to the medical journals of the American Health Institute, millennials who deal with depression have trouble sleeping and engaging with their peers which eventually makes them feel less confident.

It was also found that millennial depression is far beyond the depression witnessed in the elderly. While elders might be able to cope with their grief, millennials turn to other severe addictions in the name of recovery which often results in further problems. Depression is one of the growing health concerns that has been taking a toll on millennials’ health lately.

Substance Use Disorder

Whether to blame peer pressure or negative life choices, millennials are often addicted to the drug. Substance use disorder is another term for drug addiction that numbs the brain nerves and makes the person unable to control their activities. Substance use disorder is witnessed mainly in millennials as they are exposed to drug addiction more than any generation of people. This disorder further makes their thinking ability eventually slowing down the recovery process.

Though America’s Health and Well Being Trust have been continuously making efforts to control the staggering rate of substance use disorder in millennials, the cases have been increasing with the passing of time. It is advised that millennials who are suffering from substance use disorder must take control of their health and acquire proper medication to recover from such a disastrous health situation that not only impacts their mental health but severally damage their physical well-being as well.

American colleges have been providing behavioral health screenings at colleges and schools to spread more and more awareness regarding this concerning mental health issue. If you are one of those millennials or have someone around you who might be suffering from substance use disorder, you must inform or contact your nearest health center to get the right treatment.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Just like drug addiction, alcohol is also an addictive substance that is affecting millennial health in more than one way. Due to peer pressure, millennials often give up on drinking that gradually becomes a habit turning into a severe addiction. Millennials often treat alcohol as a way to cope with their stress and anxiety, but little do they know how alcohol is adversely affecting their health.

Around 25% of millennials consume alcohol to lighten their financial and relationship stress. Alcohol use disorder is a condition where people cannot control their drinking habits irrespective of their medication and treatment. It takes proper rehabilitation to bring them back to healthy lives.

Millennials don’t drink for obvious reasons, and they mostly find silly reasons to confine themselves to the comforts of alcohol. Anti-social personality disorder (ASPD) is also a subtype of alcohol use disorder that makes them socially awkward. Certain people would try to avoid social interactions as much as possible.

The major symptoms of alcohol use disorder are anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, shakiness, and temperament. If you happen to encounter someone in your group with these symptoms, you must take immediate action and get them diagnosed at the earliest before the situation worsen.

Hypertension

Another name for high blood pressure, hypertension can even lead to strokes and severe heart diseases. In recent years, hypertension diagnosis in millennials has been staggering. Among all the above health conditions in millennials, hypertension has emerged as the most adversely affecting concern. Degrading the quality of life and longevity of the person, hypertension can take a severe turn if not treated properly. Hypertension in millennials is 2.7 times higher than hypertension in the elderly. The primary reasons for hypertension in millennials are inconsistency in blood plasma volume, hormonal changes, lack of physical activity, and stress.

The ideal way to treat hypertension apart from going on medication is to take charge of your life. If you are a millennial and suffering from hypertension, it’s high time you must start controlling your life activity. Create a fitness regime that must include an increase in physical activities and a healthy diet. Start brisk walking in the morning and engage in a cardio workout to keep your hypertension at bay.

Stress is also a significant cause of hypertension. Hence it is advised to steer clear from everything that has a chance to cause you stress in any way. Make good life choices and give yourself a gift of life by living a healthy lifestyle. Hypertension is not an incurable disease, and you can control and eventually eradicate it from your life by following the right treatment.

Hyperactivity

While it may not seem like a concerning issue but hyperactivity is a growing disorder among millennials. Depicting abnormal behavior and uncontrollable emotions, hyperactivity is a condition where people can become aggressive, sentimental, anxious, depressed, stressed, and sometimes all at once. Millennials are largely affected by hyperactivity due to their irregular and stressed lifestyles. Impulsive and aggressive are the typical behaviors showcased by a hyperactive person.

If you think hyperactivity can be controlled and it doesn’t have such a severe impact on people’s lives, then you might be shocked to know the consequences of hyperactivity. Hyperactivity leads to difficulty in blending with social groups, interacting with your peers, and mingling with your partner and family. In extreme cases of hypertension, people can even turn to alcohol and drug addiction.

In millennials, hyperactivity is also termed as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) where a person tends to move constantly, excessively fidget with their fingers and hands, and showcase inappropriate behavior in public. Hyperactivity, if not treated properly, can make these millennial people detached from society. Medication, educational training, and psychotherapy are considered the best ways to treat hyperactivity in millennials. If you come across anyone who is depicting any of the mentioned symptoms of hyperactivity, don’t wait, and help out fellow humans to combat the severe mental ailment.

Psychotic Conditions

Psychotic conditions referred to mental disorders that make people think precept abnormally. These people lose connection with reality and construct an imaginary world. The psychotic state is another concerning mental ailment that is witnessed in millennials.

There are plenty of symptoms that determine psychotic conditions. The psychotic condition can take a dangerous turn if not diagnosed at the right time and given the necessary treatment to ensure the situation doesn’t worsen anymore. Paranoid ideas, suspiciousness, bizarre thinking and perceptions, strange feelings and emotions, difficulty in believing reality, speech trouble, and lack of concentration are some of the primary symptoms of psychotic conditions.

Psychotic conditions can also result in schizophrenia and other severe mental health ailments. Hence, it is advised to take necessary action at the right time. Millennials are often ignorant about their mental conditions.

Whether blaming it on embarrassment or not being able to self-diagnosing, psychotic behavior is continuously becoming a primary mental health concern in millennials. It is advised to take proper treatment to steer clear of this growing mental ailment that can affect both physical and psychological health. Brain stimulation therapies, psychotherapies, and mental health medication are some of the proven methods to treat psychosis. American health institute has continuously been making efforts to spread awareness among the millennials to educate them about psychosis.

Crohn’s Disease

Categorized as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease severely affects the GI tract (Gastrointestinal). Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the body, starting from mouth to anus, but the small intestine is the most commonly affected part. The malicious eating habits and inclination towards junk food have given rise to IBDs in Millenials. Crohn’s disease is one of the common IBD found in millennials. While food is not the primary cause of Crohn’s disease, it still plays a significant role. Genetical factors, environment, and reactive immune system are the prominent reasons behind Crohn’s disease in millennials.

If not diagnosed at the right time and given proper treatment, Crohn’s disease can affect your digestive system making it weak and stubborn. Millennials must remain attentive to the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and take necessary prevention measures to keep the issue under control. If you witness any signs that indicate you might have Crohn’s disease, then waste no time and get yourself as soon as possible.

There are different sets of tests and screenings that are performed to diagnose Crohn’s disease. From therapies to medicines, Crohn’s can be treated with ease if you had diagnosed it before the situation got worst. Antibiotics, aminosalicylates, immune modifiers, and biological therapies are generally used to cure a person with Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative Colitis

It is yet another form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers in your digestive tract. This form of IBD majorly affects the inner lining of the intestine. Ulcerative Colitis is 15% more common in millennials than in any generation. These bowel diseases have a higher risk of turning into colorectal cancer which can even result in death. It is necessary for millennials to stay updated regarding the risk factors of Ulcerative Colitis and adopt the best measures to steer clear of it.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis develop over time and don’t happen overnight. Hence, it is essential to remain vigilant and attentive regarding the possible symptoms to deploy treatment at the right time. The symptoms of this IBD generally include diarrhea with blood and pus, abdominal pain, rectal pain and bleeding, sudden weight loss, fatigue, fever, and inability or urgency to defecate.

Several forms of Ulcerative Colitis are distinguished according to their location. For instance, Proctosigmoiditis is a type of Ulcerative Colitis where the inflammation occurs in the rectum and sigmoid colon. It is essential to seek medical attention as soon as you witness the symptoms such as abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and diarrhea. Though Ulcerative Colitis is not as fatal as other IBDs, it can create life-threatening health problems. Hence, it is necessary never to ignore the signs and diagnose the issue at the right time.

High Cholesterol

Waxy substance accumulates in your blood, causing clots and increasing the risks of heart disease, cholesterol is a growing health ailment in people of all age groups. You would be surprised to know that millennials are also among the people who are in the wrath of this life-threatening disease.

Research and studies have proven that 23% of millennials are suffering from heart diseases, out of which cholesterol is one of the prominent reasons. Millennials are generally inclined towards junk food and adopt unhealthy eating habits that generate an accumulation of cholesterol in the body. Physical inactivity is also a significant cause of cholesterol. Hence, it is essential to keep your body active and agile to keep cholesterol away.

Low awareness regarding heart health can also make millennials negligible towards the issue. American health authorities have to take the initiative to conduct an awareness drive in schools and colleges to make a maximum number of millennials about the health risks of cholesterol and heart diseases. A study proved that only 6% of millennials know their BMI, and 15% of them check their blood pressure regularly. These percentages have to be increased in order to keep cholesterol at bay. Adopt healthy eating habits, indulge in a fitness regime that includes cardiovascular activities, and keep checking your blood pressure and blood sugar levels to monitor your improvement.

Tobacco Use Disorder

It is a condition caused by the repeated use of tobacco that leads to severe addiction resulting in serious physical and mental illness. Just like every other addiction such as alcohol and drugs, millennials are also addicted to tobacco, which makes them vulnerable to tobacco use disorder creating unstable physical and mental conditions.

Tobacco use disorder is considered a situation where the person has an endearing desire to use tobacco and face difficulties in controlling that sensation. It is vital to keep track of your smoking habits and don’t give up on the habit altogether. 59% of millennials are chain smokers and aren’t able to control their smoking habits, which makes them experience tobacco use disorder. There have been several deaths recorded in America over the past few years, out of which around 18% of deaths were because of tobacco consumption.

Tobacco use disorder is caused over a long period as it takes time for a habit of becoming an addiction. It is crucial to detect the symptoms at an early stage so that therapies can be deployed at the right time. Intense cravings and urge to use tobacco, social awkwardness, numbness of mind, mental instability due to lack of tobacco are some of the significant symptoms that can be witnessed in a person suffering from tobacco use disorder.

Type 2 Diabetes

When the body stops producing insulin to conduct the body function properly, such a health situation is deemed as type 2 diabetes. Generally, type 2 diabetes is found in older people who are in the age group of 50-60 years. When a person has type 2 diabetes, the glucose is not transferred to the body and gets accumulated in the blood vessels. Millennials are also primarily affected by type 2 diabetes.

As astonishing as it may sound, millennials due to their changing lifestyle have been encountering type 2 diabetes on a large scale. 54% of millennials have never paid attention to their diet, which makes them prone to type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes can be a reason for several heart health diseases, so it is highly important to take preventive measures at the right time and try to keep diabetes in check.

Obesity

Among all the major health issues that have been surrounding millennials, obesity is one of the major and concerning health problems. A sudden increase in weight that goes to another level of discomfort, obesity can turn into a severe issue if not taken care of properly. Around 69% of millennials in America are suffering or on the verge of obesity.

Out of which, only one-third of people are seeking medical attention. It is essential to understand the adverse effects of obesity in life. Obesity can severely impact your social experience. If you are overweight and have difficulties walking, it is quite natural to lose confidence quickly. If you want to stay clear of obesity, it is necessary to keep an eye on your diet and practice a healthy lifestyle.

Osteoporosis

Literally meaning, porous bone, osteoporosis is a disease where bone density and quality tend to reduce due to several reasons. Generally, osteoporosis is witnessed in older people when their bones start getting weaker with their increasing age. But, it’s an alarming situation for millennials as osteoporosis cases have been reported in millennials as well.

Physical inactivity also results in loss of friction in bones that eventually pave the way for osteoporosis. Though with proper physiotherapy and medical treatment, osteoporosis can be treated, it is essential to bone health in check to avoid such situations. Severe osteoporosis cases can also result in bone fracture and breakage; hence, it is crucial to pay attention to your bone health and keep them working always.

Cancer

The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body that tend to decay tissues, blood vessels, and other vital components of the body, cancer is a life-threatening disease. This would not come as a surprise that cancer is also a growingly widespread health condition in millennials. They are exposed to all sorts of cancer and come under the cancer radar for more than one reason.

Among all the other forms of cancer, colon and rectal cancer is the most common type of cancer reported in millennials. They have 2.4 percent more chances to have rectal and colon cancer than their elders. Keep a close watch on the symptoms and avail treatment at the right time before the situation slips right through your hands.

Dementia

Dementia is a mental condition where the person starts losing memory and faces difficulties in solving problems, concentrating, and thinking. One of the major causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s. Though dementia is considered an old-age ailment, you would be surprised to know that 5-10% of American millennials have dementia but remain ignorant of it.

Lack of mental agility and adroitness are the most common reasons behind the growing number of dementia cases in millennials. The ideal way to combat dementia is to keep your brain as busy as possible. Play problem-solving games that involve critical and analytical thinking. If the issue has crossed the bar, you must think of consulting a doctor to find the right solution.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Diseases that are caused by sexual intercourse, and sexually transmitted diseases generally include HIV, Chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, hepatitis, trichomoniasis, and syphilis. Millennials are prone to STDs. Around 2.3 million Chlamydia and syphilis cases were recorded in America last year, out of which 26% were millennials.

The statistics clearly state that millennials are highly vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. Having unprotected sexual intercourse is the most common reason behind the different forms of sexually transmitted diseases. In order to decrease the number of sexually transmitted diseases in millennials, it is crucial to take precautionary measures before engaging in a sexual relationship.

Epilepsy

It is a neurological disorder that can affect people of all ages. Epilepsies generally result in sudden seizures that can pave the way for several other physical ailments. Different seizure types determine the intensity of epilepsy. Millennials are also affected by epilepsy in a large number. There are plenty of epilepsy cases reported in America, out of which a significant portion of patients was found to be millennials.

Epilepsy is also called a seizure disorder. The major symptoms of epilepsy are confusion, loss of consciousness, and mental symptoms. Millennials should be provided with ample awareness regarding epilepsy so that they can take necessary action at the right time.

PSTD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

This mental disorder is generally witnessed in people who have dealt with stress, anxiety, or depression in the past. People who have seen a traumatic incident can also be vulnerable to PSTD. Events like an accident, war, terrorist attacks, sexual assault, and other situations can cause it. According to a psychological study, 25% of American millennials have PSTD as they are regularly exposed to stress and anxiety issues.

PSTD can lead to severe mental and physical issues. Hence, it is essential not to ignore the symptoms and stay alert to the consequences. Seek medical attention as soon as possible if you think you are suffering from PSTD. The primary signs that you must not overlook are intrusive thoughts, negative feelings, sudden arousal, reactive emotions, or lack of concentration.

Advice For Millennials: Enjoy Your Life But Keep a Close Watch on Your Health

When it comes to global health and wellness, millennials are in grave danger. Out of all the generations living in our society today, millennials are largely affected by severe health conditions. Even though millennials are contributing towards enhancing global wellness by endorsing yoga, boutique fitness, keto diet as the standard lifestyle practices, millennials are continually dealing with health conditions that pose a great danger to their overall physical and mental wellness.

The above-mentioned were some of the major diseases that have trapped millennials’ physical and mental well-being in their wrath. There are plenty of ways through which millennials can steer clear of such dangerous situations. One of the best things to keep their health in check is by seeking preventive care at the earliest. It is also necessary to diagnose the issue at an early stage so that treatment and therapies can be deployed at that time.

One-third of millennials in the world don’t have a PCP (primary care provider) which makes preventive care less available to them. It is essential to acquire PCP whenever they witness any strange changes in their physical and mental being. These health conditions are not affecting their wellness immediately but also impact their lifestyle in the long run. The more they remain ignorant about these health conditions, the more they will be prone to catch diseases.

If you are a millennial and concerned about your health condition, it is advised that you must take necessary action at the right time in order to safeguard your health interests. Stay vigilant, never ignore the symptoms of a possible disease, and diagnose your illness at the right time. Eat healthily, exercise adequately, socialize appropriately, and live a harmonious life to keep your health safe.