Gen Zers Nearly 3 Times More Likely Than Older Generations To Seek Therapy Since Start of Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, many of which still linger. Though the shutdowns and social distancing are largely a thing of the past, many consumers may still feel the emotional toll — and some may be more willing to seek professional help than before.

According to the latest ValuePenguin survey of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers, 72% of Americans who’ve seen a therapist since March 2020 sought therapy after the start of the global crisis. Additionally, 56% who’ve sought therapy in this period say the crisis caused them to be more willing to seek mental health help than in the past.

Keep reading to learn which groups are more likely to seek therapy and what barriers may prevent others from doing the same.

Key findings

COVID-19 may have sparked a rise in therapy

Given how the COVID-19 pandemic affected most consumers, it’s unsurprising that 72% of Americans who’ve seen a therapist since March 2020 sought therapy after the global crisis began. Of those who’ve recently sought mental health, 69% say their therapist helped them cope with the pandemic.

Millennials ages 27 to 42 (75%) and Gen Zers ages 18 to 26 (74%) are the most likely age groups to say their therapist helped them cope during the pandemic, while Gen Xers ages 43 to 58 (59%) and baby boomers ages 59 to 77 (63%) are the least likely.

Meanwhile, 56% of those who’ve seen a therapist since March 2020 say the crisis caused them to be more willing to seek help than in the past.

Majority of Americans haven’t seen a therapist and aren’t considering it

Despite an increase in the demand for mental health services, 55% of Americans say they haven’t sought therapy since March 2020 and aren’t thinking about it. Baby boomers (81%) and Americans with adult children (72%) are most likely to say they’re not considering seeing a therapist.

There are a few reasons why these consumers may have an aversion to seeking mental health care, but it largely boils down to personal barriers. Of those who aren’t considering therapy, 10% say they don’t have enough time to see a therapist and 7% are worried they’d be judged by their loved ones for doing so.

But who has sought therapy — and how do they stack up against those who haven’t? Across all consumers surveyed, 22% say they’ve seen a therapist at least once since March 2020. The groups most likely to have done so are:

More than 8 in 10 baby boomers (81%) say they haven’t seen a therapist and aren’t thinking about it, versus 33% of Gen Zers. Looking at the data differently, 32% of Gen Zers have seen a therapist since the pandemic began — nearly three times higher than baby boomers (11%).

According to ValuePenguin health insurance expert Divya Sangameshwar, there are a few reasons why older generations may be more adverse to therapy.

Meanwhile, just under a quarter (23%) of Americans say they haven’t seen a therapist, but they’re thinking about doing so. Younger consumers are once again the most therapy-positive, with Gen Zers (35%) and millennials (32%) the most likely to say they’re considering mental care. Following that, the most likely groups to say they’re considering therapy include:

Americans who went to therapy cite anxiety/stress, feeling overwhelmed as top reasons for going

More than a quarter (28%) of Americans who’ve seen a therapist during the pandemic were already in therapy before the global crisis. However, while only 7% of recent therapy patients say the main reason for wanting mental health services was due to the pandemic, the crisis may have activated dormant issues.

In fact, with social isolation at an all-time high during the lockdowns, 12% say they sought help for anxiety and stress related to their personal relationships, making it the top reason for seeking therapy. Not far behind that, 11% say they felt overwhelmed and needed someone to talk to, while 10% say they sought help for other unspecified issues.

Americans also sought therapy to handle major mental health struggles. That includes:

Although men (17%) are less likely to have seen a therapist since the pandemic began than women (26%), both genders sought therapists for similar reasons. Among their top two reasons for seeking help, both genders wrestled with anxiety or stress related to personal relationships and feeling overwhelmed and needing someone to talk to. However, men are almost twice as likely to cite work stress (9% versus 5%) and women are more than three times as likely to cite anxiety or stress related to family (10% versus 3%) as reasons for seeing a therapist.

68% of recent patients say virtual therapy has helped accessibility

Zoom isn’t the only app that exploded in popularity during the height of lockdowns. Many consumers also turned to online therapy through apps like Talkspace and BetterHelp to make therapy more accessible. In fact, 68% of recent patients say virtual therapy has allowed them to seek help when they otherwise wouldn’t have had the time or resources to meet in person. Similarly, of the 23% of people considering therapy, a little less than half (45%) agree that digital access positively impacts their ability to seek care.

While there are a lot of pros to app-based therapy, Sangameshwar says users should still be cautious when exploring their options.

In-person therapy continues to be popular, though. Of those in therapy recently, 47% mostly go to in-person appointments, though virtual therapist appointments over video are almost on par (41%). Meanwhile, a phone call is the least popular way to see a therapist, as only 12% say they’ve mostly attended phone call therapy sessions.

Who prefers in-person therapy? Men (53%) say they’d rather go the traditional route, while women (46%) prefer video visits.

Despite how they attend their therapy appointments, Americans generally prefer to stay close to home. Of those who’ve recently gone to therapy, 77% see a therapist local to their area.

Financial limitations are a barrier for many would-be patients

Although 60% of those who haven't seen a therapist recently say they don’t need it, financial limitations are still a barrier for many. In fact, 15% say they haven’t seen a therapist because they can’t afford the copays, even though 76% of recent patients say their insurance covers the cost of therapy outside of the copay.

That’s not all — many consumers struggle with insurance coverage when looking for a therapist. Specifically, 9% can't find a good therapist that takes their insurance and 5% say their health insurance doesn’t cover mental health services. Meanwhile, 7% say their biggest barrier to seeking mental health was that they didn’t have health insurance.

It’s also worth noting that 40% of respondent say their employers don’t offer therapy resources to employees. Among those whose employers provide therapy resources, 26% say their employer offers in-person or virtual counseling to employees and 9% offer help covering therapy costs.

Looking for cost-effective options? Here’s what experts recommend

If you’re struggling with mental health, it’s important to remember that mental health care doesn’t have to be a luxury. For those looking for cost-effective options, Sangameshwar offers the following tips: