Doctors on Reddit Report More Dry Eye, Anxiety, IBS and Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer in Gen Z

A widely shared Reddit thread on r/AskReddit invited experienced clinicians to name health problems they are seeing more often in Gen Z and younger patients. The conversation drew thousands of replies and highlighted a mix of anecdotal observations and clinically supported trends, from screen-related eye strain to rising rates of early-onset colorectal cancer.

What Clinicians Reported

Commenters — many identifying themselves as long-practicing doctors, nurses or specialists — commonly mentioned:

Screen-related dry eye (linked to prolonged device use); anxiety and other mental-health conditions; irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive complaints; and reports of more autoimmune and skin conditions in some practices.

Several contributors who said they work in oncology and gastroenterology specifically flagged an increase in early-onset colorectal cancer cases among younger adults.

What the Evidence Shows

Some observations in the thread are anecdotal, but national data back at least one worrying trend. The National Cancer Institute reports that colorectal cancer incidence has risen in younger age groups even as it has fallen in older adults: between 2012 and 2021, rates increased by an average of about 3.8% per year among people aged 15–39.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that prolonged screen use can contribute to dry-eye symptoms because people blink less while focusing on displays; common symptoms include dryness, blurred vision, tearing and headaches. And public-health surveys confirm worsening youth mental-health indicators: the CDC reported that in 2023 roughly 40% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and about 20% had seriously considered suicide.

Possible Explanations

Experts and thread participants pointed to several overlapping reasons these issues may be more visible now:

• Behavioral and lifestyle changes — more screen time, different diets, sedentary habits.
• Increased awareness and screening — better recognition, lower thresholds for testing and a stronger willingness to seek care.
• Environmental and microbiome factors — hypothesized contributors to digestive and autoimmune conditions that need more research.
• Real epidemiologic shifts — as seen with early-onset colorectal cancer in national data.

Practical Takeaways for Patients

If you or a young person in your life is affected: reduce continuous screen time and use the 20-20-20 rule for eyes (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds); seek help for persistent anxiety or digestive symptoms; and discuss appropriate cancer-screening guidelines with a clinician, especially if you have a family history or concerning symptoms like unexplained bleeding, persistent abdominal pain, or significant changes in bowel habits.

Limitations

Reddit threads collect firsthand impressions but are not a substitute for rigorous data. Many contributors’ claims were anecdotal or lacked independent verification. Still, where national surveillance exists — notably for colorectal cancer and adolescent mental health — it corroborates some of the concerns raised by clinicians.

Bottom line: Clinicians report more dry eye, anxiety, IBS and other complaints among Gen Z patients, and national data confirm a troubling rise in early-onset colorectal cancer. Distinguishing true increases from better detection and changing health-seeking behavior requires ongoing research.