October Health – 2026 Report
18-24 Demographic in Botswana
In Botswana, the leading reported stressor for the population aged 18–24 is academic and work-related pressures, including study workload, examinations, and early career uncertainty. This group often cites balancing education with job prospects, financial constraints, and the pressure to perform as primary sources of stress. If you’re addressing workplace mental health, consider offering targeted support for young employees through flexible scheduling, burnout prevention programs, and accessible counseling resources. Tools like October can provide digital group sessions and assessments tailored to early-career staff.
How mental health affects the 18-24 demographic differently
- Academic and career pressure: exams, internships, and job market uncertainty can be more acute for 18–24-year-olds, especially those transitioning from school to work or higher education.
- Financial stress: student loans, part-time jobs, living costs, and supporting family can hit early adulthood hard.
- Identity and belonging: navigating independence, peer pressure, romantic relationships, and self-identity (including gender, sexuality, and cultural expectations) is often prominent.
- Social media and digital scrutiny: performance comparisons, online harassment, and curated highlight reels can affect self-esteem and mental health.
- Future planning anxiety: pressure to choose a clear path (major, career, long-term goals) amid limited experience and exposure.
- Mental health stigma and help-seeking barriers: less familiarity with coping strategies and greater concerns about confidentiality or judgment in seeking support.
- Transition-related stress: moving away from home, adjusting to new environments, and establishing routines can be destabilizing.
- Academic/work-life balance: juggling study/work, part-time employment, and social life, leading to burnout.
- Relationship and sexual health concerns: navigating intimate relationships, consent, contraception, and potential conflicts.
- Crisis and acute life events: bereavement, family illness, displacement, or trauma can be particularly destabilizing during this period.
Data from October Health
What's driving mental health stresses for the 18-24 demographic in South African?
Proactive mental fitness for high performance staff.
Understand the stresses and workplace challenges of your staff and provide them with the tools to protect their productivity and mental health.