Young Europeans are facing high rents, precarious employment, war, and political instability

Young people in Europe are facing increased levels of stress, anxiety, sadness, and frustration. And, of course, there’s a reason for that.

The first thing many young people do every morning is pick up their phone, and within minutes, all the world’s problems are already in the palm of their hand: war, rising food prices, political tensions, climate disasters, the housing crisis, and terrorism.

In the past, major crises and disasters came as separate shocks. They were reported on the radio, television, or in newspapers, which immediately sparked widespread discussion. Today, however, hearing about such catastrophic events has simply become part of everyday life, and it often seems impossible to escape them. Of course, social media is not the cause of these events, but it has changed the way people experience them.

Users are exposed to global events in the middle of a conversation with friends, after vacation photos or a makeup tutorial, creating a mix of emotions and, at times, utter apathy, and making it much harder to switch off.

How do these overlapping pressures shape the way young Europeans think about politics, their mental well-being, and their future?

The following survey was conducted using specific questions posed to 128 young people from across Europe; the data was collected through the authors’ personal and professional networks, as well as an interview with psychologist Yiannis Fliatis.

At first glance, the research suggests that the greatest pressures originate offline, in the reality of everyday life. But when these realities follow people onto the very screen they use to relax, connect, and unwind, uncertainty becomes a constant presence.

High rents, inflation, and job insecurity  

The pressures most frequently cited in the survey were not online trends, but the daily cost of living. More than three-quarters of respondents cited the cost-of-living crisis and inflation.

Housing and rent problems, as well as job insecurity, were cited by about half of respondents, while 46% cited wars and international conflicts. These pressures shape practical decisions. Rising rents can delay moving out of the family home.

Temporary contracts and uncertain wages make it difficult to save money, move to a new city, or plan a career. The higher cost of living can turn heating an apartment, traveling, studying, or meeting up with friends into calculations about what one can still afford

War and political instability add yet another layer, as personal plans can depend on events far beyond a person’s control.

Psychologist and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist Yannis Fliatis stated that uncertainty is part of life, but external instability can make important decisions more difficult. For some people, he explained, “starting something or building something seems somewhat pointless” when the future appears uncertain. Decisions about work, moving abroad, relationships, or starting a family can seem more difficult when housing, income, and security are already uncertain.

The screen doesn’t create these conditions. It makes it harder to leave them behind. News about rent, jobs, war, and political instability reaches people on the same device they use for work, friendships, and relaxation.

Always informed, rarely reassured

More than 80% said they get their political news through social media, while nearly three-quarters encounter political content there often or very often.

Their reactions were mixed. Fifty-eight percent said that political news on social media worried them, while 45% felt informed and 37% felt angry. About 31% felt shocked or anxious, and the same percentage felt confused.

The way this information is delivered matters.

A report about war may be followed seconds later by a video about rising prices, an election scandal, or a climate disaster. Before we have a chance to process one event, another takes its place.

Political news appears alongside entertainment, messages from friends, and ordinary everyday content, so there is no clear moment when the news begins or ends.

Fliatis described the stream as endless. “It never stops,” he said. Repeated exposure, he added, can make shocking events seem ordinary and can lead to apathy as well as anxiety.

“…somewhere in the middle of a cautious approach”

Trust and influence do not always go hand in hand. Very few people blindly trust the political information they see on social media, while just as many say they reject it outright. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle, taking a cautious approach. However, despite widespread skepticism, a striking number of people admit that a social media post has actually managed to change their opinion on a political issue.

Most importantly, the content doesn’t even have to be believed to leave an impression. A post can dictate what we pay attention to, stir our emotions, or distort our sense of just how fragmented society actually is.

Even if we suspect the source is unreliable. Today, most people view society as deeply and fundamentally divided. There is a perception that algorithm-driven feeds only exacerbate this, rapidly pushing misleading claims and emotionally charged posts to the top of our screens.

Fliatis highlighted a related pattern, arguing that repeated exposure to shocking or divisive content does not merely trigger reactions in the moment.

Rather, over time, it can normalize conflict as a permanent backdrop rather than a solvable problem, making the divide between people seem wider and harder to bridge.

This constant friction could explain why so many people now feel completely cut off from society and the political system as a whole. And the implications go beyond mere politics; endless exposure to crises and conflicts can ultimately erode our sense of control over our future.

A Future Beyond Their Control

The survey results show that feelings of uncertainty have become the defining factor in respondents’ outlook on the future. A particularly striking finding is the perceived loss of control. More than half of the respondents stated that they have little or no control over their future. This perception is closely linked to hope: participants who reported a lower level of control were also less optimistic about the future.

Fliatis argues that anxiety and uncertainty are natural parts of life and that, rather than trying to eliminate them, we should develop greater resilience in dealing with them.

According to Fliatis, collective perceptions of problems can have a soothing effect. The feeling that we are not alone in the face of uncertainty—but rather that we recognize others share similar feelings—as well as engaging in open communication about these issues can be comforting, because it reduces the feeling that we are facing uncertainty alone and creates opportunities for communication and mutual support.

Fliatis identifies “intolerance of uncertainty” as a common factor in anxiety disorders, referring to the low tolerance many people have for disappointment or uncertainty.

When people believe they need absolute certainty before making a decision, they can literally “freeze” and avoid decision-making.

He argues that a culture of instant gratification, fueled by technology where everything is instantly available, and constant exposure to negative news on social media (doom-scrolling) can reinforce feelings of helplessness and normalize pessimism and negativity. Shocking news is perceived just like any other everyday event, which reinforces feelings of helplessness.

Learning to Live with Uncertainty

The research and interviews suggest that today’s young Europeans are not unusually anxious or fragile, and their concerns reflect the realities they face every day: rising living costs, job insecurity, political instability, and an increasingly uncertain future. Social media has made these pressures more visible and harder to escape, but it did not create them.

Psychologist Yannis Fliatis argues that resilience does not mean we should remain unaffected by the crisis or learn to ignore it.

On the contrary, it means we must accept that uncertainty is part of life, limit our constant exposure to negative content, maintain meaningful relationships, and continue to make decisions even when there are no guarantees. These habits can help protect mental well-being, but they are only part of the picture.

Personal resilience cannot replace political action, because young people cannot solve problems such as high rents, precarious employment, wars, or diminished trust in institutions simply by spending less time on social media or building mental resilience. Therefore, addressing the conditions behind this instability may be just as important as learning to cope with the uncertainty they create.

Source: in.gr