Mental health spans across generations. For adolescents, mental health challenges are driven in large part by environmental factors. Check out this editorial from the Lancet, which reminds us of such. “Young people face a world with multiple crises and much uncertainty. A person born in 2006 will have gone through the great recession and the subsequent austerity measures, a pandemic with disrupted schooling and social isolation, a cost-of-living crisis, war in Europe, and a world coming to terms with the magnitude of climate change. There have been many tumultuous times in history, but evidence on the mental wellbeing of young people during those periods is scant.”1

Most mental disorders are rare during childhood and become more prevalent in adolescence, a stage that lasts up to age 24 years. Although prevalence estimates vary, the peak incidence appears to be at age 17–19 years in high-income countries. Some estimates suggest that globally, one in three to five children or adolescents have an anxiety disorder at some point. The prevalence of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts is still relatively low in adolescents, but together they represented the fourth leading cause of death for adolescents between ages 15–19 years globally in 2019.

“Governments and policymakers must also act by centering their efforts on the concerns of young people. It is the systems in which young people live and interact, from families to communities, that are the key to mental well-being. It is here that young people can be supported to lay the foundations for healthier futures.”1

Click here to read the full editorial.

References

  1. Lancet, T. (2022, August 20). An age of uncertainty: mental health in young people. The Lancet. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)01572-0/fulltext

Disclaimers

  • The material in these reviews is from various public open access sources, meant for educational and informational purposes only
  • Any personal opinions expressed are those of only the author(s) and are not intended to represent the position of any organization(s)
  • No official support by any organization(s) has been provided or should be inferred