Many of the kids are not alright \u2014 though some are.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 <\/strong>far below all US adults, who ranked 24th in the most recent report.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> consuming content.<\/p>\n Kevin Alexander has cerebral palsy and believes he\u2019s happier than most of his able-bodied peers. Courtesy of Kevin Alexander<\/p>\n \u201cSocial media in and of itself is a very negative and toxic place,\u201d Kevin Alexander, a self-described <\/strong>happy 28-year-old from Southern Florida, told The Post. \u201cI don\u2019t use it that much.\u201d<\/p>\n Alexander has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and uses crutches for mobility. His disability taught him that \u201ccomparison is the thief of joy\u201d early on, so he\u2019s always avoided social media<\/a>, which he believes has been key.<\/p>\n \u201cI happen to be physically disabled, so I tend to look more for positive things, because I\u2019ve certainly dealt with a host of negativity in my life through operations, through stigma, through a lot of things,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Alexander, who recently got his master\u2019s degree in history and is working on an essay collection while applying to PhD programs, also credits his intellectual pursuits for his positive outlook.<\/p>\n Kevin Alexander says he escapes in books and history. Courtesy of Kevin Alexander<\/p>\n \u201cI read a lot, and I try to stay inside in my own head more than listen to the external noise,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben Feinblum, a 20-year-old sophomore studying business at Georgia Tech, believes social media is bringing his generation down<\/a> and credits his positive outlook to restricting his use of it.<\/p>\n \u201cSocial media makes people very comfortable being alone, and even when they are hanging out with people they\u2019re on their phones and texting people that aren\u2019t even there,\u201d the New Rochelle native said.<\/p>\n Ben Feinblum believes his generation\u2019s mental health is harmed by social media. Courtesy of Ben Feinblum<\/p>\n Feinblum turns off notifications on apps, such as Instagram, that aren\u2019t essential, and he and his friends have created rituals to stay in the moment while hanging out.<\/p>\n \u201cMy friends will be very conscious of who\u2019s on their phone and call them out,\u201d he said. \u201cWe stack up our phones on the table, and whoever picks theirs up first is the one to pay the tip for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison says that exercising and getting outside helps her stay happy. Courtesy of Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison<\/p>\n \u201cI can kind of take authority and say, you know what, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok is really affecting me. I\u2019ve got to delete it for a week or two or whatever,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She also avoids \u201cbed rotting\u201d<\/a> \u2014 a wallowing form of self care beloved by Zoomers \u2014 in favor of healthier pursuits.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead, [I say] I\u2019m gonna go take a walk outside. I\u2019m going to read a book,\u201d she said. \u201cI think sometimes you need to escape whatever your situation is, and I think reading is the greatest resource.\u201d<\/p>\n Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison sometimes deletes social media apps when she feels they\u2019re detrimental to her mental health. Courtesy of Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison<\/p>\n Daily journaling<\/a> has also been proved helpful to Ellison, who dealt with anxiety in her teens.<\/p>\n \u201cJust getting my thoughts out and getting to stretch those writing legs has always brought a boost to my serotonin,\u201d she said. \u201cI try to get down five things I\u2019m grateful for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n