Before the pandemic, wellness often felt like a luxury or, worse, an afterthought.
Burnout was glorified as a sign of ambition, therapy was whispered about in secrecy, and “doing it all” was the unspoken standard.
For many South Africans, wellness was something you turned to only in a crisis.
But five years after Covid-19 upended the world, something has shifted. While the world remains tough, rising living costs, load-shedding fatigue, and escalating mental health challenges affect people, especially younger generations, who are softer.
And that softness isn’t weakness; it’s a quiet rebellion against survival mode.
Younger South Africans, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are leading this charge. A 2023 survey found that 55% of these generations have sought therapy, with 40% actively pursuing it in 2024.
Compared to Baby Boomers,…
