Many of the kids are not alright — though some are.
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Americans ages 18 to 29 ranked 62nd amongst the 140 countries surveyed in terms of self-reported well-being and life satisfaction — far below all US adults, who ranked 24th in the most recent report.
But a small segment of young Americans are bucking the trend and finding happiness. The Post spoke with several, and they all noted that limiting their time on Instagram, TikTok and the like was crucial to their mental well-being. The average Zoomer spends three quarters of their day consuming content.
“Social media in and of itself is a very negative and toxic place,” Kevin Alexander, a self-described happy 28-year-old from Southern Florida, told The Post. “I don’t use it that much.”
Alexander has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and uses crutches for mobility. His disability taught him that “comparison is the thief of joy” early on, so he’s always avoided social media, which he believes has been key.
“I happen to be physically disabled, so I tend to look more for positive things, because I’ve certainly dealt with a host of negativity in my life through operations, through stigma, through a lot of things,” he explained.
Alexander, who recently got his master’s degree in history and is working on an essay collection while applying to PhD programs, also credits his intellectual pursuits for his positive outlook.
“I read a lot, and I try to stay inside in my own head more than listen to the external noise,” he said. “I’m just so in my books and in my writing that I can get lost to the world for several hours of the day at a time.”
Ben Feinblum, a 20-year-old sophomore studying business at Georgia Tech, believes social media is bringing his generation down and credits his positive outlook to restricting his use of it.
“Social media makes people very comfortable being alone, and even when they are hanging out with people they’re on their phones and texting people that aren’t even there,” the New Rochelle native said.
Feinblum turns off notifications on apps, such as Instagram, that aren’t essential, and he and his friends have created rituals to stay in the moment while hanging out.
“My friends will be very conscious of who’s on their phone and call them out,” he said. “We stack up our phones on the table, and whoever picks theirs up first is the one to pay the tip for dinner.”
Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison, an unusually upbeat 20-year-old sophomore at Samford University in Alabama, also makes efforts to rein in her social media use when she feels it getting out of hand.
“I can kind of take authority and say, you know what, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok is really affecting me. I’ve got to delete it for a week or two or whatever,” she said.
She also avoids “bed rotting” — a wallowing form of self care beloved by Zoomers — in favor of healthier pursuits.
“Instead, [I say] I’m gonna go take a walk outside. I’m going to read a book,” she said. “I think sometimes you need to escape whatever your situation is, and I think reading is the greatest resource.”
Daily journaling has also been proved helpful to Ellison, who dealt with anxiety in her teens.
“Just getting my thoughts out and getting to stretch those writing legs has always brought a boost to my serotonin,” she said. “I try to get down five things I’m grateful for.”
Nearly all of the happy Zoomers The Post spoke with cited their religion as a major reason for their contentment.
“Something that has always influenced me is growing up with a dad that’s a pastor,” Ellison said. “My faith has ebbed and flowed and changed a lot as I’ve grown up, but it’s always been consistently there for me to fall back on.”
For Alexander, his Christian faith has helped him frame his disability in a positive manner.
“The fact that I’m still here 28 years later makes me believe that God has me here for a reason,” he said. “I have physical limitations, but He spared my ability to speak, to think, and to write effectively. The idea that I’m here for a purpose keeps me from falling into the generational nihilism.”
Fay Dubinsky, 28 of Boca, Florida, credits Judaism with providing her with a sense of community and meaning.
“I grew up Jewish and religious, and I think that’s probably one of the reasons that I’m not depressed or anxious,” she said. “I have so much meaning in my life, and that’s not typical for my generation.”
Dubinsky, who works as a therapist, also says her choice to get married early, at age 25, and start a family soon after has given her more purpose. She has a nearly 2-year-old son and is 7-months-pregnant.
“I take time for myself, but so much of my day is to help others, to take care of my family, to take care of my baby,” she said. “I think the number one problem in my generation is a lack of meaning. People my age, their life is about them, and serving themselves, and always seeking out more pleasure.”