World Mental Health Day 2025: Psychologist suggests 5 creative ways Gen Z can manage stress

Shruti Padhye, senior psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, agreed that yes, Gen Z nowadays carries the weight of multiple pressures. She told HT Lifestyle that the world is more volatile with a multitude of issues like academic pressure, social media information overload, economic changes and identity development. With so much going on, Gen Z barely gets a moment of ‘time out.’

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Amid the constant buzz of life with a whirlwind of demands and pressure, how can Gen Z carve out a moment of respite? A much-needed time out from the relentless pace of life? Shruti recommended tapping into creativity as a way to combat stress.

“As a mental health professional with over 7 years of experience, I find that youth-led initiatives can promote deep engagement and creativity with young people and their emotions. These activities can create safe corners for emotional expression, which provide connectedness with self and others, meaningful in and of themselves,” the psychologist explained.

Often, life can get isolating amid all the hustle. Particularly for Gen Z, who are right at the cusp of building their careers, may let the stress pile up and leave them feeling cut off. This is where creativity and the sense of unity can act as an outlet to release stress.

Shruti suggested these 5 creative ways Gen Z can unload stress and feel energised emotionally:

1. Drama therapy

• Role-play and improvisation enable Gen Z to illustrate emotions; words may be tough to express.
• “Putting down the mask” allows them to explore identity, address fears, and rehearse coping mechanisms in a safe space

2. Slam poetry

• Raw, unfiltered poetry addresses the unexpressed truths we hold.
• Slam poetry, verbal or on paper, advocates emotional authenticity and dismantles the shame surrounding mental health concerns such as anxiety, grief, or self-worth

3. Ad film making

• The film-making process- developing a screenplay, shooting a video, and editing nurtures creativity, while allowing Gen Z to move outside of their online persona.
• Making a film as a group encourages co-creation, empathy, and emotional connection.

4. Abstract art

• Exploring texture, colour, and form to display what it feels like to be trapped in the chaos of the mind can be deeply healing.
• Abstract art gives therapy a non-verbal, emotional display before understanding what those emotions mean

5. Extempore expression

• Verbal expression on a personal topic allows authenticity yet forces clarity of emotional content.
• The experience of practising vulnerability around peers builds confidence in Gen Z voices and perspectives

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.