What causes the most anxiety in 20-year-olds?

Boingboing

@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse OK, then worrying about their mobile phone not being the most up to date.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

Most are a bit older than the "trying to be popular" high school crowd, tough some still aspire to "cool" or "sexy."

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

@boiboing Heh heh. I bet some do worry about that.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (471969)

• Switzerland

18 Apr 16

Socializing, having friends, I think that our young generations feel alone.

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Patricia Hollins

@chooseyourmissy1234 (532)

• , New York

19 Apr 16

I thin ink that is very true. When someone is young they should not have to feel lonely, but it seems to be more difficult to be around other people that you can trust. I am much older than twenty something but I get a lot of input about the younger generation today from my twenty year old daughter.

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loniness

information

@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

@chooseyourmissy1234 I think that contemporary technology gives one the illusion of "connectedness" while promoting loneliness and anxiety.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

I am predicting a rise in anxiety disorders overall among the young.

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marguicha

@marguicha (223720)

• Chile

18 Apr 16

I was married at that age. But if I weren´t, I´d say dating

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

Interestingly, dating didn't come up that much, though many of the men say they wish women would take the initiative and ask them out.

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marguicha

@marguicha (223720)

• Chile

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse Maybe the answers would have been different if the students had been all women

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marguicha

@marguicha (223720)

• Chile

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse I had all my problems solved at a very young age, so anxiety came when I was much older and my loved ones got very ill.

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WorDazza

@WorDazza (15830)

• Manchester, England

18 Apr 16

Body image?

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

People mention that when we cover "beautyism and interpersonal attraction," but it didn't come up much when we were discussing anxiety.

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WorDazza

@WorDazza (15830)

• Manchester, England

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse OK, I'll try getting old.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

@WorDazza No, that's what *I* worry about. Nobody over 40 in this class.

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

18 Apr 16

Finances would be high on the list, I would expect.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

Finances may be, but they did not come up in the exercise we did. Maybe they will in the next batch of papers I receive.

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse No kidding. I am surprised. Maybe they were not being honest and only wrote what was easy to reveal.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (341742)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Apr 16

I'd go for world unrest - terrorism - and maybe climate change.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

I think that most US 20-year-olds are too self-absorbed to be concerned with those kids of things.

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vanny

@vandana7 (100526)

• India

19 Apr 16

Let me see...my anxiety at that stage was ...how to manage with different social levels. Everybody suddenly treated me as adult...and I felt I was not prepared for responsibilities, and leaving behind the happy go lucky stuff to some extent. Differentiating between adult talk and flippancy had become an issue. I remember being scolded for using the word "yaar", which in Hindi means "buddy" and is very common in hostels, but in home its meaning changed to "boyfriend". lol

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vanny

@vandana7 (100526)

• India

19 Apr 16

@TheHorse ... Does that make me normal? lol

@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

The most common lament WAS social! It was public speaking, but many also mentioned socializing in general.

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Alfredo Rossi

@amadeo (111938)

• United States

18 Apr 16

I had no problem at that age.I was free and alive.That is all I need.Not sure what cause in this age,but I can manage that it must be plenty. For them they bring this on to themselves.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

I remember being worried about finding a major that would maintain my interest.

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Alfredo Rossi

@amadeo (111938)

• United States

18 Apr 16

@TheHorse Yes,both of us in different generation.

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

18 Apr 16

when I was 20? Prob passing classes. Being lonely. Trying to figure out who I was

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

19 Apr 16

@TheHorse hard to make that change from being a kid, and pretty much getting told what to do and when to do it, and then an adult with complete freedom

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

I think identity issues never go away. But Erik Erikson says identity issue are especially important in the 13 to 21 range.

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peggy baker

@softbabe44 (5816)

• Vancouver, Washington

18 Apr 16

Would it be tests they have to take

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Apr 16

Some did mention test anxiety, but it didn't top the list.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (317250)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

19 Apr 16

I would think it would be job interviews, but I have a feeling that's not it, so it must be in the Something Else category. I'll be interested to know your answer.

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Dena Miller

@Dena91 (16692)

• United States

19 Apr 16

When I was in my 20"s what caused my anxiety was did I make enough money between my 2 jobs to stay in college. My Dad made too much money for me to qualify for any loans or scholarships or grants. He helped me some with costs but it mostly was up to me to cover the costs. I also felt anxiety of not fitting in, which had always been a thing for me. Now I am older and perhaps wiser, I have learned I don't need to fit in with everyone around me. Wish my older self could have taught my younger self that lesson a bit sooner. Today's kids probably struggle with self esteem issues. We have 5 nieces and nephews in that age range and that is the vibe we pick up from them. Are they good enough? Do they measure up to Dad and Mom's expectations? Are they loved for who they are? Just my guess. Have a blessed evening

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

Am I loved for who I am is a question *I've* always asked. I've been "achieving" all my life, and sometimes wish I could rest.

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Danna B.

@db20747 (43440)

• Washington, District Of Columbia

19 Apr 16

Anxiety I think is caused by worry about the future. They have to get through today to make it to the big time tomorrow. A lot of stress and pressure to make it big and be successful. You have to make it big just to survive in today's world it seems.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

I sense that some are worried about the future. But others are living pretty much in the present.

Yogafreak

@Curlybobby (370)

•

19 Apr 16

I am a 20 year old and I and most of my friends are primarily anxious about getting jobs and being useful in the market. I think college makes us feel pressured to be better than the rest and sometimes when that doesn't work out, we feel we're not good enough and that can hinder development in many aspects of our lives including relationships and our academic performance.

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@TheHorse (220068)

• Walnut Creek, California

19 Apr 16

Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful answer! I suppose competition is a part of life, but the College years should be fun and social years as well.

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Yogafreak

@Curlybobby (370)

•

19 Apr 16

@TheHorse College is fun but the thought that this is all temporary and that we'd have to get jobs and have families and just the thought that in less than ten years we would become parents/corporate rats, basically proper adults with responsibilities, is slightly unsettling atleast for me.

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Amber

@AmbiePam (93739)

• United States

19 Apr 16

I was going to say other twenty year olds, so I guess I would go with dating. Rejection or just trying to fit in is a terrible anxiety to have. It doesn't help to know it does get better as we get older.

mommaj

@mommaj (23112)

• United States

20 Apr 16

I don't know what a bunch of college kids get anxious over, probably growing up. LOL I can tell you what makes me anxious, groups of people, like a college class.

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41Combedale

@41CombedaleRoad (5952)

• Greece

18 Apr 16

It is a guess as I am not around 20 somethings very much but I would think it might be their image. If they are on Facebook it is very likely that they are under pressure to keep up with their peers in looking good, and aspiring to have a very interesting life.

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