The shifting landscape of modern relationships is undeniable. As a millennial, I’ve seen firsthand how our generation has redefined dating—rejecting traditional timelines, prioritizing personal growth, and often keeping things casual. In theory, this newfound freedom is liberating. It allows us to chase our ambitions, focus on self-discovery, and avoid the societal pressure of settling down too soon. But at what cost?

I won’t deny that breaking away from rigid relationship norms has its perks. There’s less stigma around being single, more emphasis on individual fulfillment, and greater autonomy in choosing what love should look like. Yet, I can’t help but notice how this mindset often fuels emotional detachment, commitment phobia, and an underlying fear of vulnerability. We’re so focused on independence that we sometimes forget that meaningful relationships—romantic or otherwise—are fundamental to our mental well-being.

Treating serious relationships as disposable, avoiding deep emotional investment, and normalizing detachment can lead to patterns that damage our self-worth. Masking jealousy as affection, resorting to silent treatments, or glorifying the “situationship” culture often create emotional instability. The pursuit of self-happiness shouldn’t come at the expense of genuine connections. In a world that champions casual over committed, are we truly prioritizing our mental health?

Dating apps, social media, and hookup culture have contributed to a relationship mindset that often prioritizes instant gratification over long-term fulfillment. Commitment phobia has led many to avoid serious emotional investment, fearing heartbreak or a loss of independence. As a result, many young adults find themselves in non-committal situations that lack stability, fostering anxiety, loneliness, and uncertainty.

Are Millennials and Gen Z Undervaluing Friendships and Self-Love?

"With dating apps and social media pushing the idea that love equals romance, it’s easy to overlook the power of friendship and self-love," explains Urvashi Musale, Child & Teen Behavioral Psychologist.

A growing number of Gen Z individuals are recognizing the limitations of casual relationships. According to studies, only 23% of Gen Z engage in casual dating, compared to 78% of previous generations. This shift indicates a stronger desire for meaningful relationships, but the focus doesn't have to be solely on romantic connections.

Strong friendships are vital for mental health, reducing stress, and even increasing life expectancy. However, modern culture often places more value on romantic validation than on deep, non-romantic bonds. To shift this focus, we must normalize and celebrate meaningful friendships. Encouraging group activities, prioritizing regular meetups, and promoting honest conversations about non-romantic relationships can help create deeper emotional fulfillment.

Self-love also plays a crucial role in this shift. When individuals cultivate a strong sense of self-worth beyond their relationship status, they are less likely to seek constant external validation. Practicing self-care, setting personal goals, and recognizing personal value can strengthen friendships rather than replace them.

Why Do Younger Generations Struggle with Long-Term Friendships?

The rise of "ghosting" and "situationships" isn’t just affecting dating—it’s also impacting friendships. Millennials and Gen Z often struggle to maintain long-term friendships due to digital distractions, fear of confrontation, and a culture that prioritizes convenience over deep connections. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated social isolation, making it harder for many to rebuild and sustain meaningful friendships.

According to a study from Dartmouth College, social isolation during lockdowns led to a decline in meaningful friendships, highlighting the long-term impact of digital-only interactions.

To build emotionally secure friendships, Millennials and Gen Z can:

Prioritize In-Person Interactions – Digital communication is convenient, but it often lacks depth. Meeting face-to-face, engaging in shared activities, or joining interest-based groups can create stronger bonds.

Improve Communication Skills – Friendships often fade due to misunderstandings. Practicing active listening, expressing appreciation, and addressing conflicts instead of avoiding them can help maintain long-term relationships.

Set Clear Boundaries and Expectations – Healthy friendships require balance. Defining relationship dynamics and ensuring mutual effort from both sides can prevent resentment and miscommunication.

How Can Self-Love Strengthen Friendships Instead of Replacing Them?

Many individuals seek validation through romantic relationships, but true self-love strengthens rather than replaces friendships. When people feel secure within themselves, they are less likely to rely on others for emotional stability.

According to research, 80% of Gen Z daters prioritize self-care and seek partners who do the same.

To cultivate self-love in a way that enhances friendships:

• Practice Self-Reflection: Understanding personal needs and setting boundaries leads to healthier relationships.
• Be Kind to Yourself: Self-compassion reduces reliance on external approval for self-worth.
• Pursue Personal Passions: Engaging in hobbies and interests fosters confidence and creates opportunities for connection with like-minded people.

Self-love and friendship go hand in hand. When individuals value and care for themselves, they become better friends—more patient, supportive, and understanding. At the same time, strong friendships reinforce self-love by providing encouragement, acceptance, and belonging.

However, it is essential to strike a balance. While self-care is necessary, withdrawing from social connections under the guise of "self-love" can lead to isolation. True emotional well-being stems from cultivating a strong sense of self while remaining open to deep and meaningful friendships.

Mental Health Consequences of Prioritizing the Wrong Relationships

The pursuit of superficial relationships, avoidance of deep emotional bonds, and constant digital connectivity have led to a rise in anxiety, depression, and loneliness among Millennials and Gen Z. Studies show that excessive social media use, ghosting culture, and casual dating trends contribute to lower self-esteem and increased emotional instability.

While Millennials and Gen Z have revolutionized relationship culture, it is important to evaluate whether these changes truly serve their well-being. Independence and self-growth are essential, but so are meaningful relationships that provide emotional support, companionship, and stability.

To maintain a healthy balance, younger generations must:

• Recognize the importance of deep friendships alongside romantic pursuits.
• Prioritize self-love without isolating themselves from meaningful connections.
• Foster relationships that contribute to emotional and mental well-being rather than those that drain them.

Ms. Urvashi Musale is a Child & Teen Behavioral Psychologist in India

“Heartbreaks happen to many people, it’s ok” or “You’ll move on, it’s a heartbreak, not the end of the world” and similar phrases as these are ones we have all heard. However, how much truth these sentences hold has been questioned. Many people experience mental health issues after experiencing heartbreak like depressive episodes and anxiety symptoms. However, did you know that heartbreaks can actually affect your heart?

The pain associated with heartbreaks is often thought of as psychological, but it can actually weaken the ability to pump blood effectively. This is a condition known as the broken heart syndrome, or Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

According to the Harvard Health Publishing, it is a sudden change in the shape of the heart's left ventricle, which is its primary pumping chamber. This is a concerning issue as it weakens the heart’s ability to effectively circulate blood throughout the body.

The British Heart Foundation explains that some people, like women over 50s are more susceptible to getting this issue. It could also be an issue if you have other mental health issues like anxiety or depression.

Symptoms Mimic A Heart Attack

Harvard explains that most cases of this syndrome occur in the age frames of 58 to 75. 5% of these women thought they were having a heart attack. The symptoms can indeed be very similar to those of a heart attack and may include:

• Sudden, intense chest pain
• A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the chest
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart palpitations (irregular or forceful heartbeat)
• Feeling faint or lightheaded
• Nausea

Can Stress Cause This Issue?

While the precise cause of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains under investigation, medical experts believe that a sudden surge of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, triggered by intense emotional distress, plays a significant role. The syndrome often occurs following significant emotional events like bereavement, serious illness, or trauma, which is why it's commonly referred to as 'broken heart syndrome'. But that is not the only reason why you may experience this, other causes may include sudden drop in blood pressure, severe pain, asthma attack, intense fear, serious illnesses or surgery, etc.

When doctors are diagnosing this syndrome, they look for things like, no evidence of blockages in the angiogram, which helps them rule out heart attacks, they also use imaging techniques like echocardiogram, that will show abnormalities in the left ventricle.

Fortunately, it is temporary. The condition is typically managed with medications aimed at reducing the strain on the heart and minimizing the risk of complications. These medications can include:

• Diuretics (to reduce fluid buildup)
• Beta blockers (to slow heart rate and lower blood pressure)
• Blood thinners (to prevent blood clots)

Can You Prevent Broken Heart Syndrome?

While most people recover fully, approximately one in ten patients may experience a recurrence of broken heart syndrome. Additionally, some individuals may have persistent symptoms or lasting changes to the shape of their heart, potentially requiring long-term medication.

Once a person has fully recovered from broken heart syndrome, it is advisable to focus on managing stress levels, adopting a healthy diet, and maintaining regular physical activity to help prevent future episodes.

Misleading signs are often worse than no signs, you may be working on the symptoms when the disease is already doing damage to your body. When something goes wrong in our body, most of us can catch onto it. However, we almost always tackle the most obvious issue, not knowing there could be something worse going on.

A similar issue happens to a UK-based woman, named, Loise who was suffering with high blood pressure and dismissed it as a symptom of menopause. Soon she found out that it was in fact not menopause that she was going through, rather she had been battling kidney cancer and did not know about it.

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide with nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. Cancer is a generic term for many different diseases that affect parts of one's body, according to the World Health Organization. Kidney cancer is the sixth most common cancer in UK adults and 14th most common cancer worldwide. According to Cancer Research UK, the average number of cases reported for kidney cancer in 2017-19 UK was 13,834. It is also more common in the elderly, aged 80-84, and there has been a 92% rise in the incidence rates of kidney cancer since the 1990s.

Misleading Symptoms and Important Warnings

In the Kidney Cancer UK's TikTok page, Louise's highlights the critical importance of recognizing that not all symptoms in middle-aged women are solely due to hormonal changes. In her case, the elevated blood pressure was an indicator of an aggressive form of kidney cancer.

Often, kidney cancer doesn't manifest with clear and distinct symptoms, and it is frequently discovered incidentally during tests conducted for other health concerns. Louise emphasized the challenge of diagnosis, "Symptoms are unfortunately vague, especially for women, as it includes high blood pressure, night sweats, blood in your urine and flank pain. GPs often relate these to menopause symptoms." She strongly advises everyone to "regularly scan your body" and to pay attention to persistent discomfort. She urged, "How long have those niggling pains been there? Get them checked - always better to be safe than sorry!"

What To Expect After The Diagnosis?

Reflecting on her own diagnosis, Louise recounted having "high blood pressure but unseen blood" in her urine. She explained how her cancer was detected, "I was lucky routine bloods picked up an issue with my liver, prompting ultrasound."

Her treatment journey involved significant surgical interventions, "I have now had two major surgeries to remove cancer and my kidney within the last 15 months. I'm three weeks post open surgery and recovering well." The outcome of recent tests brought encouraging news, "The news that all the biopsies came back as not cancer has been amazing."

Currently, Louise is managing side effects from her immunotherapy treatment. Looking ahead, Louise remains realistic but hopeful "My cancer was the most aggressive at grade 4 so there will always be a high chance of it coming back, but medications and research is changing all the time and I have faith that the surveillance scans will help us nip anything untoward in the bud!"

Kidney Cancer Symptoms You Should Look Out For

While kidney cancer often progresses without noticeable symptoms, the NHS indicates that when they do appear, they can include:

• Blood in your pee
• A lump or swelling in your back, under your ribs, or in your neck
• Persistent pain between your ribs and waist
• Unexplained loss of appetite or weight loss
• Persistent fatigue or lack of energy
• A recurring high temperature
• Excessive sweating, particularly at night

Throughout the first week of April, the state of Kentucky witnessed flooding, due to heavy rains, specifically in the Franklin County. The reason being, it is located on the Kentucky River for over 200 years. While such natural disasters can cause distress in terms of physical safety, expert also reveals that such natural disasters could impact one's mental health too.

Natural disasters like Kentucky's recent flooding can have serious impacts on victim's mental health, reveals Christal Badour, associate professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky and a trauma recovery research.

As reported in Weku NPR, the UK psychologist explains that reactions to traumatic events typically fall into short-term and long-term symptoms. These include people feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, and difficulty communicating. While most people eventually recover without lasting effects, some may struggle for a longer duration.

These long-term issues include depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Badour also notes that people who already had a mental health difficulty before the natural disaster could also further feel isolated. Along with that, individuals with fewer financial resources could be at more risk of long-term problems.

Are These Long-term Symptoms Common?

According to a report from Clinical Psychology Review, 20 to 80% of people will experience long-term symptoms after a disaster. These rates could vary depending on the type of disaster one faces. PTSD symptoms often improve after the first year, however, depression and anxiety are more likely to linger.

What Do Other Experts Say?

There have been previous studies too that confirm the same. As per a 2024 study, titled Impact of Natural Disasters on Mental Health: Evidence and Implications, by Eamin Z Heanoy and Norman R Brown, notes: "Natural disasters are large-scale catastrophic events, and they are increasing in frequency and severity. Converging evidence indicates that the mental health consequences of disasters are extensive and are often associated with trauma and the disruption of personal and socioeconomic factors in people’s lives."

However, the study also notes that although most individuals who experience disaster-related traumatic events do not develop mental illnesses, some could experience adverse psychological effects of the disaster.

Another expert, Nomy Levy-Carric, MD, MPhil, writes for Mass General Brigham, which is an institute dedicated to serving the community and enhancing patient care, teaching, and research, notes that natural disaster can indeed leave a lasting impact on individuals, families, and often an entire community.

Levy Carrick notes: "A person’s reaction depends on many factors, including their past experiences, what is happening in their life at that moment, the nature of their exposure, and the support available to them as they rebuild. The sudden loss of control and uncertainty can be overwhelming, making it harder to cope in both the short and long term."

What Are The Types Of Natural Disasters?

• Hurricanes and tropical storms
• Earthquakes
• Tornadoes
• Wildfire
• Floods
• Blizzards and winter storms
• Drought and extreme heat
• Landslides and mudslides

The doctor notes the Psychological First Aid or PFA provides a structured way to support emotional recovery immediately after a disaster.

However, notes Badour, there is still a major gap in treatment. Most disaster relief services only last up to one year.

“After that year has passed, a lot of people feel like there's no one there to help them, especially if you're in a community that was already lacking in mental health support and resources,” she said.