Young progressives think trouble sleeping is a mental health issue — blame the ideology that says the world is stacked against them

NY Post ^ | 7/20/26 | Rikki Schlott

[Libloather]

Young progressives are more likely to consider normal day-to-day struggles — like difficulty sleeping and feeling blue — as mental health problems, per a new analysis.

Is it any wonder, given the left-leaning ideology that convinces Americans that the system is simply stacked against them?

Data from the US General Social Survey, analyzed by the Financial Times, revealed that younger people and more progressive people were more likely to believe that everything from feeling worried, trouble sleeping and feeling a little sad were symptomatic of a disorder.

Asked if a theoretical person with those symptoms was experiencing mental illness, 6 in 10 liberals said yes, compared with fewer than 3 in 10 conservatives. And more than half of those under 40 agreed, compared with just 1 in 3 over 50.

It’s part of a broader trend on the left of pathologizing everything and blaming larger forces — like mental health or capitalism — for normal difficulties that are simply part of day-to-day life.

This mindset permeates the left’s messaging, which has long been about what Americans can’t do: You can’t get ahead, the system is stacked against you, everything is out of reach.

Bernie Sanders was an early adopter of this vocabulary, telling his followers that the economy is “rigged” against them. They can’t do anything about that, the implication goes, except — of course! — vote for politicians to fix the problem.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Health/Medicine; Local News
KEYWORDS: commies; health; mental; progressives

[KC_for_Freedom]

Just make certain that you don’t have sleep apnea. It can go undiagnosed for years and will seem like you just can’t fall asleep. It ruins all your organs because they don’t get sleep or sufficient oxygen.
I had it for years. I have a machine now and no more trouble sleeping.

[LibertarianLiz]

My sleep is interrupted nightly by an over active brain that fails to shutdown...this will go on for a couple weeks then I get a couple good night’s sleep then repeat. I’m retired..8 years now so it ain’t work. I’m in bed a little after 9 and up by 6 and awake every hour in between.

This sounds like my life. I have a very hard time getting to sleep. When I do get to sleep, I will wake up in the middle of the night; and, then have to try to get back to sleep. When I do, occastionally, fall asleep for a full night, I feel so good; but, these nights are few and far between.

I also have an "active" brain.

[maddog55]

I don’t get it..wife is pretty much the same. Doesn’t bother us during the day..we’re not not tired during the day till after supper 6pm or so, then it starts kicking in.

Been the same for years since I retired although I think I slept better when I was working but then I’d hop up in the middle of the night and run downstairs and send myself an email because I solved a problem. Go figure.