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Molek FMHow Malaysian Gen Z Are Breaking Free From Generational Trauma
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We all know the drill. Our parents and grandparents went through a lot. War, poverty, having strict parents, the whole “kena tahan je” mentality.
They did what they had to do to survive, but the truth is, a lot of that pain got passed down to us too. It’s like an inheritance nobody asked for.
If you look closer, every generation has tried to break free, but not everyone succeeded. Now, Gen Z is continuing the fight, and we are making sure that we are able to finally break the cycle of generational trauma, fingers crossed.
Here’s how we’re trying to break the cycle:
Going to therapy (Even if our parents don’t get it)
Our parents’ generation didn’t really have the words for depression or anxiety. For them, it was always “sabar je,” or “jangan fikir sangat.” Gen X mostly swept it under the carpet because mental health wasn’t something you said out loud.
Millennials started bringing up therapy and self-care, but back then not everyone could afford it, or even knew where to get help.
Gen Z? We’re actually going. Even if our parents still think therapy is for “orang gila.” Some of us save up for online sessions, some talk to counsellors at uni. It’s not about being weak, it’s about taking care of ourselves because mental health is just as important as physical health.
Learning to say no
Older generations were taught to always put family first, even if it meant losing themselves. Saying no was disrespectful.
We’ve all heard the guilt trips such as “Keluarga sendiri pun tak nak tolong?” But now, we’re learning to set boundaries. We’re learning that saying no doesn’t make us “kurang ajar.”
It means protecting our peace, and honestly, that’s something our parents and grandparents didn’t have the chance to do.
Rest is also productive
Boomers and Gen X wore hard work like a medal. If you didn’t work non-stop, people would just call you lazy. Millennials were a bit different, they wanted work-life balance, but at the same time, they glorified hustle culture.
Gen Z doesn’t want that life. We’re okay with taking naps, slow weekends, and living life at our own pace. We don’t believe our value should be measured by how much we can grind. To us, rest isn’t wasting time, it’s part of living too.
Talking about the stuff nobody used to talk about
Abuse, toxic parenting, depression, trauma, and many more. These were some of the topics older generations didn’t dare to touch. Millennials started breaking the silence a little, but Gen Z takes it further.
We post about it. We meme it. We talk about it with our friends, sometimes even strangers online. It’s not always neat, but at least it’s not locked up inside anymore like it used to be.
Changing the meaning of success
For Boomers, success was survival. Get a stable job, put food on the table. For Gen X, it was about stability and holding on to tradition. For Millennials, it was all about the checklist. Get a degree, buy a house, get married by 27, and have kids within the first year of marriage.
Gen Z? We don’t care about following a fixed timeline. Success can mean travelling, freelancing, starting a small business, or even just surviving and being happy.
We’re not chasing the same milestones because success doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.
Choosing our own families
Older generations believed blood was everything, even if the relationships were unhealthy. To them, family loyalty came before personal boundaries.
It didn’t matter if the environment was toxic, you were expected to respect your parents, follow your elders, and keep family matters private. Walking away or setting boundaries was seen as ungrateful.
Gen Z is more unapologetic about it. Sometimes, our closest family isn’t blood-related. They’re our best friends, our partners, or even online communities that make us feel safe.
Laughing through the pain
We’re the generation that turns trauma into content. We make TikToks about being the eldest in an Asian household, or memes about burnout and brainrot trends.
Some people might say it’s too much, but humour makes the heaviness a little easier to carry. It’s how we cope.
At the end of the day, breaking trauma isn’t something Gen Z has mastered. We’re still figuring it out, but the effort itself matters because trying means the next generation has a better chance than we did.
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