Third of Gen Z are ‘chronic overthinkers’—and the full moon is making it worse

A survey of 2,000 adults finds Gen Z spirals over daily life far more than other age groups, with belief in full moons driving extra caution.

Gen Z are the nation’s biggest overthinkers – with 69% confessing they frequently spiral over day-to-day matters.. A survey of 2,000 adults revealed millennials are not far behind, with 63% regularly overthinking things, while this figure falls to just 38% among Boomers.. According to the findings, 28% of Gen Zers own up to being a ‘chronic overthinker’.. Replaying embarrassing moments (51%) is Gen Z’s most frequently overthought situation, followed by things they wished they had

said (50%), and how their text messages will come across (43%).. The research was commissioned by Extra Gum, which has teamed up with reality TV star Stephen Libby, to become its Chief Overthinking Officer and mark the launch of its new EXTRA Plus chewing gum range.. Stephen said: “I know the overthinking spiral all too well.. I’ve been in many rooms where every look, comment or pause has been second guessed – and this research

shows we’re all doing it daily.. “I’m especially guilty with texts – rewriting one message three times, hitting send, then rereading it again…. and if there’s a full moon, I’m 100% going back for another look.” The study discovered that 81% of Gen Z regularly get trapped inside their own heads.. Social media plays a significant role, with 56% admitting to deleting a post if it failed to receive ‘enough’ likes or comments within the

first hour, compared to just 25% of all Brits.. Meanwhile, 65% re-read texts they’ve sent, fretting over whether they came across as too dramatic or excessive (33%), too keen (27%), or not funny enough (27%).. Almost nine in 10 (86%) even deliberately hold off on responding so they don’t come across as overly keen.. Voice notes offer no escape either, with 73% of Gen Z having re-recorded a “casual” message multiple times to get the

tone just right, compared to just 32% of all adults overall.. It also emerged that 82% of Gen Z replay awkward conversations from their day, compared to just 56% of all Brits.. However, the research uncovered the primary reason behind their overthinking was the full moon.. More than a quarter (27%) of all adults believe this can influence how they think and feel, rising to 46% among Gen Z.. The research revealed that young adults

believe they are more prone to spiralling or overthinking (14%) during the lunar phase.. As a result, 62% of Gen Z say they’ll be more guarded about their behaviour during the two full moons, compared to just 35% of Brits overall.. Ahead of the second full moon of the month on May 31st, 20% of young adults are planning to be more careful about what they send, while 17% will avoid sending risky texts, and

16% are ready to blame the moon if things go wrong.. To mark the first full moon on 1st May, EXTRA Plus hosted a pop-up in Manchester , inviting Brits to share their overthinking confessions in real life.. Francesca Oddie, astrologer and the brand’s Cosmic Chaos Guide, said: “Full moons have a way of making everything feel a bit more ‘extra’ than usual, people read into things, second-guess decisions, and suddenly even a simple message

feels like it means more than it does.. “With two full moons in one month, May really does feel like overthinking season, so it’s no surprise people say they’re being a bit more cautious.. Whether you believe in it or not, it’s definitely a time when those second thoughts come out to play.” Over analysing embarrassing moments Things I didn’t say but wish I had Text message or voice note being left on ‘read’ Worrying

about how text messages I’ve sent will be perceived What someone meant by a short reply to a message (e.g.. OK.) Small everyday decisions (e.g.. what to wear, what to eat) Telling a white lie What I posted on social media Scrolling deep into someone’s Instagram and accidentally liking a photo A message from your boss saying, “free for a chat?” Is there a secret WhatsApp chat without me?. Sending a snapchat to the wrong

person What I said on a date Over analysing voice notes I’ve received Choosing the ‘right’ emoji Voice notes I’ve sent (e.g.. when I was tired) How many haha’s to put in a group chat to something mildly funny

Gen Z overthinking, full moon effect, text message anxiety, social media deletion, Extra Plus gum, Stephen Libby