Memes circulating the internet have such a new extreme emphasis on wanting to die, being dead, having depression and being constantly sad and alone.  Is this a silly trend started by attention seeking millennials or an actual cry for help?

It does seem to appear to be true that millennials are more depressed than previous generations.  According to Washington Post, 44% of college students experience symptoms of depression, and suicide is one of the leading causes of death among college students.

There must be a reason for this spike in depression. Experts believe it’s due to the tremendous pressure that is placed on students entering college, even on students struggling through high school.  School has always been around and has always been a stressful affair, however the work that goes into earning a high school degree now is equivalent to what earning a college degree used to be.

That means earning a college degree now is much more intense and stressful than ever before, and the pressure placed on students by not only the college but by demanding parents can lead to the anxiety that can cause depression.

To cope with this onslaught of terrible feelings and sleepless nights, millennials are resorting to memes to ease the pain.  Humans as a whole use humor to deal with painful things, and this is the easiest way to come together and cope with everything going wrong.