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Finding the Feel Good

    Our polycrisis-beleaguered Gen Z are taking their health and wellbeing into their own hands.

    Whether it’s the news media or trend reports, Gen Z are being labelled as the Lonely Generation - a legacy from the pandemic which has made the biggest impact on their mental health and social wellbeing.

    As digital natives they are more comfortable spending time in front of the screen than most, but the pandemic led to an inordinate amount of time in virtual spaces, taking the option of connecting IRL out of their hands. Confidence connecting beyond the screen has dropped and the impact on wellbeing is stark.

    This increasing sense of loneliness has not been helped by growing distrust in healthcare institutions. GPs in the UK and the US alike are ill equipped to treat mental health issues, which is impacting broader health concerns.

    So with options seemingly scarce for our younger generations, Gen Z are finding comfort and help in people like them.

    As much as online spaces can sometimes act as obstacles to real life connections, for many they’re a refuge, and new behaviors, language and content is being created to connect and communicate like never before.

    Only 14% of 16-24 year olds surveyed in the UK said they had never felt lonely.

    Hype over health

    The wellness industry is valued at approximately $4.4 trillion globally and is estimated to be worth an overwhelming $7 trillion by 2025.

    Despite a diversifying suite of facials, green juices and athleisurewear, there remains a big gap between the burgeoning industry and the state of actually being well. Some of the biggest barriers are exclusivity and affordability, but scepticism around the legitimacy of claims and efficacy of products is also turning many young people to seek out alternate channels.

    Gen Z are rejecting the aspirational and opting for something more accessible and at the same time expanding on what wellness means, and should feel like. They want to take ownership of their health and address their holistic sense of wellbeing.

    Expanding definitions

    Redefining what wellness means is the first step. It’s not necessarily what has been perpetuated by the brands and influencers in the millennial generation and demonstrated by Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. To them, their concerns are fiercely focussed on a spectrum of areas not traditionally talked about.

    For Gen Z, mental, emotional and social wellbeing are a huge priority. It’s less about aspiration and being influenced by unrealistic aesthetics, and more about being real and honest about how they feel and move through the world.

    • “Gen Z will push wellness in new directions” - Ernst & Young Wellness Study

      • 76%

        of Gen Z defines wellness as “anything that makes you feel good”

    Glossy is over

    Celebrity culture is often cited as fueling growth of the wellness industry we know today. However, the exposure of disingenuous beauty routines and diet programmes that sucked in many millennials has been exposed in the Gen Z era, with the Kardashian aesthetic behind some of the most prominent scandals.

    As much as Gen Z are more skeptical and savvy, they are also just exhausted, and are gravitating towards simply slowing down.

    #bedrotting is one trend that went viral on TikTok this summer and is the complete antithesis of the regimes and routines that have occupied the wellness enthusiasts.

    Although not a new concept, #bedrotting is perhaps the most low effort of self care trends. With 11m views and counting, creators share how their day’s routine doesn’t stretch much further than the comfort of their own beds.

    Micro-dosing social joy

    Expanding ideas of wellness means more exploration around feel good content.

    A new age version of ‘stopping to smell the roses’ that is taking over TikTok’s wellness conversation is #glimmers (5m views).

    First coined in 2018 and described as the opposite of triggers, therapist @heydrjustine popularized the term through her TikTok content to help people think about gratitude in a more creative way.

    Content showing people being more vulnerable, open and honest is creating space for people to feel better about being imperfect humans.

      • 68%

        of 13 - 39 year olds in the US and Canada agree that wellness culture puts too much emphasis on perfection - Source: YPulse

    From dancing to diagnosing

    TikTok keeps coming up as it grown in popularity for it’s algorithmic ability to truly entertain.

    Although other platforms like YouTube and Instagram still claim the top spot of most used apps, TikTok far outstrips the platforms on time spent and level of cultural conversation.

    Where other platforms might become too involved, TikTok is low barrier, low effort with an overwhelming joyful tone. Its inherent attraction is its stripped back storytelling, niche communities and now for many, an alternative source of healthcare information.

    From gut health topics (#guthealth = 150m posts; #probiotics = 2m posts) to mental wellbeing (#mentalhealth = 12m posts; #anxiety = 4m posts), the sheer level of people sharing their experiences and trying to offer advice is giving TikTok a new kind of value in Gen Z’s lives.

    Between helpful and harmful

    Social media and misinformation is still a real problem, and self diagnosis through symptom searching is an easy way to further health anxiety.

    Healthcare professionals have recognized this and are attempting to counter the misinformation, sharing their own science-backed content, answering questions honestly and giving people advice they might have struggled to get through traditional channels.

    Whether it’s the @vaginarehabdoctor, a pelvic physical therapist educating people with vaginas, or @skinmdryan a dermatology resident who debunks myths to better help people with their skin goals, experts are sharing credible advice and encouraging people to consider the sources of their advice.

    "37% turn to influencers for health advice because they are easier to access than medical professional"

    Source: CharityRx

    Lol yourself better

    Feeling good isn’t just about constant caretaking, it’s also about escapism and the desire for levity.

    Despite all the advice out there, many people don’t always find it cuts through, which isn’t surprising with the daily news cycle and emotional labour that comes with that. The heavy topics and attempts to process it are contributing to burnout and leaving people feeling even more detached.

    Whether it’s scrolling through memes or discussing a reality show, coming together in community and conversation is helping young people escape the real world and find much needed relief.

    Community comfort

    The communities that existing on platforms like TikTok, Reddit and Discord are hugely valuable for the younger generations. With a simple scroll, 30 seconds later people are discovering something that they didn’t even know they needed or may have previously though they were alone. From the seemingly basic #booktok (22m views) to #witchtok (67m) to all the different #core aesthetics on TikTok, all the way to the fandoms that existing on Discord and TikTok. People are less alone because whoever they are there is a community for them.

      • 50%

        of users say that TikTok boosts my mood, makes me feel happy/positive - Source: 2023 TikTok Trend Report

    Expand your view

    Wellness isn’t limited to one industry, play in different creative spaces with the goal of helping people feel good

    Get into the niche

    Understand the shifting conversation platforms like TikTok to find new inspired ways to contribute towards feel good conversations

    Creator exploration

    Emerging creators will be some of the more culturally relevant and can help brands authentically engage with new audiences

    Helpful over harmful

    The impact of tech and social media shouldn’t be forgotten, ground the content in the helpful and work with credible partners where needed

    Brand Experience Agency of the Decade