Just in case you needed another reason to scream Ok Boomer at your neighbourhood Breakfast TV host, a new report has been released letting us know that millennials are on track to get sick and die faster than previous generations. You’re welcome in advance for this cheery news.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is a group made up of several health insurance companies, and has released a 32-page report about what the future is going to look like for millennials.
Before we dive into it, because I just know this question will come up, the report defines millennials as born between 1981 and 1996. Your 14 year old Fortnite obsessed cousin is not a millennial.
Right, now that that’s out of the way, back to the uplifting stuff. The report had three key findings:
1. Millennials are seeing their health decline faster than the previous generation as we age. This includes both physical and mental health, and there’s apparently a good chance that millennials could see their mortality rates climb more than 40% compared to Gen-Xers at the same age.
2. The fact that our health is so shoddy means health care costs are going to go up. Worst case scenario we could be paying 33% more than Gen-Xers.
3. Because of all of this, we’re going to end up – shocker! – poorer than ever. Which will make us sicker. Which will make us poorer. Which will make us sicker, and so on and so forth for the rest of time.
Fantastic.
The report reckons the reason for all of this is something called a health shock. It’s an unpredictable illness that diminishes people’s health pretty significantly, and they’ve happened before, most recently during the Vietnam War and the outbreak of HIV/AIDS.
While the report doesn’t give a solid reason for this generational health shock, they’re predicting it’s due to mental health problems like depression, anxiety, ADD, and ADHD, and substance abuse.
If we are indeed seeing a massive spike in mental health issues for our generation, then maybe it’s good that we’re also living in a time that seems to be infinitely more accepting and understanding of people’s struggles with mental health than we were 20 years ago. Whatever it is that you’re doing today, drink some water, give yourself a break, and accept this hug from me to you.
