The trend: Gen Zers are leveraging digital tools for mental health support, far outpacing older generations, according to a recent BasePoint BreakThrough survey of 1,000 US adults.

• Nearly half (44%) of Gen Zers use AI chatbots for mental health support, compared with 31% of millennials, 18% of Gen X and 5% of baby boomers.
• 37% turn to TikTok or Instagram creators, compared with 24% of millennials, 8% of Gen X, and 1% of boomers.
• 37% also use online forums like Reddit for mental health support, compared with 28% of millennials, 14% of Gen X, and 3% of boomers.

Why it matters: Barriers to traditional care like cost push younger consumers toward alternative, free, and anonymous mental health sources like AI chatbots and social platforms.

These are the top factors driving Gen Z online for mental health support:

• Cost is the most cited barrier to mental health care across generations, including 53% of Gen Zers and 58% of millennials, per BasePoint BreakThrough.
• Gen Z is more likely to cite a lack of time or scheduling at 48%, compared with 41% of millennials, 34% of Gen X, and 26% of boomers.
• More than one-third of Gen Z (34%) and millennials (34%) noted stigma as a barrier to traditional care.

Implications for tech companies: As digital platforms become key entry points for younger consumers seeking mental health support, their responsibility to ensure safe and credible environments is growing. While tools like AI chatbots and online forums provide community and emotional support—not clinical care—it raises expectations to provide enhanced content moderation and algorithm design that prioritizes high quality mental health content. Failure to manage these risks could lead to reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny if harmful content spreads.