Why Burnout Is Increasing Before Age 30

While anyone can experience burnout, people under 30 are uniquely vulnerable to developing symptoms. According to recent research published by Future Forum that evaluated burnt out professionals, nearly half (48%) were under the age of 30. There isn’t a single reason why young people everywhere are feeling exhausted from their jobs. Instead, there are compounding stressors that can make the everyday work life unbearable for most young people.

The Transition From Academic Structure to Workplace Expectations

More than any other generation, Generation Z and millennials are more educated than ever before. Nearly half (42.8%) have at least a bachelor’s degree. When these graduates step out of the structured academic environment and into the workplace, they face a chaotic set of norms. In school, they obtained success through clear milestones, deadlines, and grading systems. In the workplace, success is often more vague, subjective, and poorly defined.

This abrupt change can cause feelings of self-doubt and pressure to overperform, especially if they grew up with a “gifted child” mindset.

Financial Stress and Cost-of-Living Pressures

Many young people today are also facing immense financial pressure. These pressures come from all fronts, including:

• Student loans: The average graduate student takes more than 20 years to pay off loans, with the average monthly payment being $536, which serves as a significant percentage of monthly expenses.
• Housing instability: The average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment or house is $1,406, increasing financial stress and risk of homelessness.
• Wage stagnation: Since 1979, wages for the average middle-income worker have only risen 6%, despite the astronomical inflation in the same time period. Simultaneously, more employers are cutting healthcare benefits for recent graduates, with only 31% offering health insurance.

These factors are stressors that can feed burnout, but they can also prevent young professionals from actually addressing their mental health. To pay for housing and loans, students will stay longer in unhealthy working environments. Because of low wages, they may be unable to pay for mental health care that could help treat their burnout. As a result, their symptoms of burnout may worsen.

Job Insecurity and Career Uncertainty

Even if young professionals have a job that pays the bills and then some, many aren’t entirely sure they’ll be able to keep these jobs or if they’ll be on the chopping block for the next round of layoffs. With layoffs occurring nationally in nearly every industry, the unemployment rate has increased to 4.6%, the highest it’s been in four years. There also isn’t a guarantee that you’ll land quickly on your feet after a layoff. With the hiring rate stagnating at 3.3% in 2025, young professionals are finding that if they go through a layoff, they likely won’t find a job any time soon.

This kind of pressure can motivate young professionals to stay in unhealthy workplaces or practice unhealthy behaviors like working overtime or over-performing.

Hustle Culture, Overwork, and Digital Availability

America has long held a cultural belief of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” but this mindset has exploded through “Hustle Culture.” This phenomenon encourages people to work constantly, even in their downtime, whether through climbing the corporate ladder or starting a side gig. Hustle culture seemingly devalues those who do not.

We can see hustle culture the most through social media. When you’re constantly comparing yourself to other professionals on Instagram or LinkedIn who are advancing their careers, earning more money, or receiving more opportunities, it can be easy to convince yourself that you need to work harder. This is a trap that causes an epidemic of burnout.

Why Early Intervention Matters

As a young person, it can be easy to shrug off the initial symptoms of burnout, especially if everyone around you feels the same way. However, if you ignore it, these symptoms can escalate into more serious mental health conditions, like:

• Anxiety disorders: Includes chronic anxiety disorders, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
• Depression: Known for chronic feelings of low self-confidence, sadness, or hopelessness.
• Substance misuse: The use of alcohol, opioids, other illegal drugs, and over-the-counter prescription drugs to cope with negative emotions.

Ignoring your burnout can also start to affect your work as well. You may start to disengage from your work, hindering your productivity, your earning potential, and even your professional identity. Taking care of yourself may feel like your career is taking a backseat, but if anything, it can help your career grow in the long run.

However, not all Americans talk about mental health and expose themselves to discussions about it, especially older adults. Only 23% of baby boomers say they regularly encounter and use mental health terminology. Meanwhile, 74% of Gen Z and 68% of millennials use the terminology regularly.

The survey also found mixed results in how this increased use of “therapy speak” impacted their everyday life. Of the survey respondents, 46% said talking about mental health improved how they expressed their emotions.

At the same time, not everyone feels positively about the rise of “therapy speak.” Nearly 1 in 5 adults said they avoid using this mental health terminology because it feels confusing or uncomfortable. Their responses suggest that while these conversations are becoming more common, a significant portion of Americans still finds the language inaccessible.

Where Americans Learn the Language of Mental Health

When people thought of what mental health traditionally looked and sounded like, some would think of a cartoon character sitting in a chaise lounge across from a Freudian therapist. However, mental health discussions are happening everywhere, both in the real world and online.

Where to Start Your Search

Finding the right therapist starts with understanding what resources are already available to you. If you have health insurance, review your mental health benefits first. Many plans cover therapy services, but may have restrictions on which providers you can see or how many sessions are included. To better understand your options, it’s helpful to consult your insurance provider’s mental health coverage details and confirm what services are covered, whether telehealth is included, and which therapists are in-network.

For individuals with low income or no private insurance, Medicaid plays a vital role in expanding access. Medicaid is the largest payer of behavioral health services in the U.S., and many providers across the country accept it. This includes community health centers, private practices, and nonprofit organizations that are working to reach underserved populations with affordable mental health care.

Free and Low-Cost Therapy Options

Several resources connect you to affordable or no-cost care options:

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) offer mental health services on a sliding scale based on income
• Religious or spiritual support networks, with a focus on providers who offer affirming, culturally sensitive care
• Group therapy and peer-led support groups that address shared experiences like grief, addiction, or trauma
• School-based or workplace mental health programs, which may offer on-site counselors or virtual therapy
• Local nonprofits and advocacy organizations that provide direct services or financial assistance for therapy
• University counseling centers and training clinics, where graduate students provide supervised, low-cost care
• LGBTQ+ centers and BIPOC-specific therapy directories, which highlight culturally competent providers and affirming spaces

Starting with these resources can help ease the search process while ensuring your care is both accessible and affordable.

No matter your coverage or income, it’s essential to research potential therapists before scheduling your first session. A provider’s website or directory profile can reveal important details about their specialties, approach, and whether they prioritize inclusive, trauma-informed care. Visiting platforms like BasePoint’s provider network can help you evaluate whether a therapist is a good match for your cultural background, identity, or specific mental health needs.

How To Tell If a Therapist Is a Good Fit

Sometimes, you have to “shop” for the right therapist. But when therapy is new to you, finding the right kind of care can be a bit of a puzzle. Here’s how to put the pieces together:

Evaluating Cultural Competence and Inclusivity

A good therapeutic relationship is built on trust, safety, and mutual respect. For clients from underserved or marginalized communities, this includes assessing whether a therapist practices cultural humility — an ongoing commitment to learning about and honoring the lived experiences, values, and identities of others.

In practice, cultural humility looks like: 

• Acknowledging power dynamics between therapist and client
• Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions without making assumptions
• Demonstrating a willingness to learn about your background and culture
• Reflecting on their own biases and actively working to challenge them

For LGBTQ+ clients, safety and affirmation are especially critical. Therapists who are affirming typically:

• Use your correct name and pronouns without hesitation
• Avoid heteronormative or cisnormative assumptions
• Understand the impact of minority stress and systemic discrimination
• Create a judgment-free space to explore identity, relationships, and trauma
• Are listed as an LGBTQ+-friendly provider or visibly state their commitment to inclusivity on their website or intake forms

If a provider seems dismissive, it may be a sign to continue your search.

First Consultation Questions

The first session or consultation is your opportunity to get a feel for a therapist’s style and values. Don’t hesitate to ask direct questions that help you determine if they’re the right fit for your needs. Consider asking:

• How do you approach topics like trauma, gender identity, race, or cultural background?
• What kind of therapeutic modalities or techniques do you typically use?
• Do you offer sliding scale rates or virtual sessions to make care more accessible?
• What experience do you have working with clients who share similar identities to mine?

A therapist who is a good fit will respond without defensiveness, welcome your questions, and view the conversation as part of establishing trust.

The Therapeutic Alliance

The therapeutic alliance refers to the collaborative, trusting relationship between you and your therapist — and research shows it’s one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes in therapy. A strong alliance blends mutual respect, agreement on therapy goals, and a sense that you’re working together as a team. When the alliance is strong, clients are more likely to feel understood, stay engaged, and experience meaningful progress.

Signs of a healthy therapeutic alliance include:

• Feeling heard, validated, and respected
• Agreeing on goals and the steps needed to reach them
• Experiencing open, honest communication without judgment
• Sensing that your therapist is genuinely invested in your growth

If you consistently feel disconnected, misunderstood, or reluctant to share, it may be worth addressing the issue directly with your therapist — or considering whether a different provider might be a better fit.

How To Advocate for Your Mental Health During Counseling Sessions

Therapy should be a safe space where you feel respected, heard, and supported. If it’s not, you have every right to speak up or leave. You never have to stay with a therapist who isn’t a good fit. If you decide to move on, simply tell them you’re exploring other options or your needs have changed. You don’t need to explain further.

It’s just as important to speak up for yourself during sessions. If a therapist says something that feels wrong or invalidating, it’s okay to pause and say something. Saying, “That didn’t sit right with me,” or “Can we talk about what you meant by that?” can help clear up miscommunications, or it might confirm that you need to find someone else.

Clearly define expectations from the start by discussing feedback, boundaries, and therapy goals. Therapy is for you, and actively expressing your needs and values is vital to your healing journey.