I am picking up a broad brush but bear with me for the moment. It is likely that half -- if not more -- of those 'privileged art students' felt anxious and isolated in spite of their positive demeanor. If privilege alone was a solution for general well-being, we would not have as many rich and famous people struggling to keep it straight. Don't get me wrong, privilege helps a lot, but may not be enough.
Growing up, I thought that if only my family had more money, I would feel much better. Now, I think that my anxiety is caused by other things such as lack of control over my schedule, uncertainty about the future, and feeling of stuckness in the job (even if it is well paid). On the other hand, knowing that I have multiple options for gainful employment and having the ability to work on things that I care about -- brings me joy and satisfaction.
In short, just having the ability to walk away from a situation is calming and joy-inducing. It does not matter whether that situation is good or bad, all that matters is that I have options.