From Adolescence to Adulthood: Are we prepared for the Mental Health Challenges of Youth?

Every year, on August 12th, the world comes together to celebrate International Youth Day (IYD), an awareness day designated by the United Nations. Since its inception on August 12, 2000, IYD has served as a powerful platform to draw attention to the cultural, social, and legal issues affecting youth around the globe. But beyond the festivities, concerts, and workshops, this day carries a deeper purpose: to shine a light on the challenges young people face and to amplify their voices in shaping a better future.

The Origins and Significance of International Youth Day

International Youth Day was born out of a resolution adopted at the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1998. The United Nations General Assembly later endorsed this recommendation, officially proclaiming August 12 as International Youth Day in December 1999. Since then, this day has become an annual opportunity for governments, youth organizations, and communities to come together and address the pressing issues facing young people worldwide.

Each year, IYD adopts a unique theme to highlight a specific aspect of youth life. From “Youth and Mental Health” in 2014 to “Youth Engagement for Global Action” in 2020, these themes reflect the diverse challenges and opportunities that youth encounter in our ever-changing world. For this year IYD focuses on the theme "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development." According to the United Nations website, this theme emphasizes how young people are leading the way in using technology to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Digital transformation plays a big role, acting as a "catalyst" that speeds up progress across these goals. As digital natives, young people are driving innovations that impact over 70% of the SDG targets, highlighting their key role in building a sustainable and fair future.

You can find more information and IYD resources, social media toolkits, logos, and many other visual assets : https://social.desa.un.org/Issues/Youth/events/international-youth-day-2024https://trello.com/b/Q3CsN56V/international-youth-day-2024-youth-digital-solutions

A Look Into Past Themes: “Youth and Mental Health”

In 2014, the theme for International Youth Day was "Youth and Mental Health," marking a significant moment in the global conversation about the mental well-being of young people. The campaign highlighted the experiences of brave young individuals who spoke out about their mental health, aiming to break down barriers of exclusion and encourage others to seek help without fear of being negatively labelled. Now, a decade later, we want to use this day as a reminder to once again emphasize the importance of raising awareness about youth mental health.

The "Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023" report, published on November 21, 2023, provides crucial statistics on the mental health challenges affecting youth in England. This report reveals several key findings: In 2023, 20.3% of 8 to 16-year-olds, 23.3% of 17 to 19-year-olds, and 21.7% of 20 to 25-year-olds were identified as having a probable mental disorder. Rates have remained steady since 2022. This report also includes data on eating disorders. It found that 12.5% of 17 to 19-year-olds had an eating disorder. Among young women in this age group, rates rose from 1.6% to 20.8%, and among young men from 0.0% to 5.1%. The prevalence of eating disorders was 5.9% in 20 to 25-year-olds and 2.6% in 11 to 16-year-olds, with rates being four times higher in girls (4.3%) compared to boys (1.0%). NHS England also highlights some of the key facts:

• Among 8 to 16 year olds, rates of probable mental disorder were similar for boys and girls, while for 17 to 25 year olds, rates were twice as high for young women than young men.

• 17 to 25 year olds with a probable mental disorder were 3 times more likely to not be able to afford to take part in activities such as sports, days out, or socialising with friends, compared with those unlikely to have a mental disorder (26.1% compared with 8.3%).

• Children aged 11 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder were 5 times more likely than those unlikely to have a mental disorder to have been bullied in person (36.9% compared with 7.6%). They were also more likely to have been bullied online (10.8% compared with 2.6%).

The article, “The effects of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence in young adults: Results of the KiGGS cohort” notes that “More than half of all mental disorders in adulthood begin in childhood or adolescence.” Shared in 17 November 2021, “Mental health of adolescents” article, further supports this fact and expands “The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.”

More key facts can be found on World Health Organization’s website

• Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.

• Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.

• Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds.

Main problems for young people

With all the information and data that we mentioned before, it is clear that the groundwork for our mental well-being is laid much before adulthood. In fact, a lot of the mental health issues adults face actually begin to take shape in childhood and adolescence. But, why are these early years so important and how do they influence our mental health later in life?

Since we are babies, the early years are crucial for brain development, and the environment a child grows up in plays a huge role in shaping how they’ll handle life’s ups and downs. Even though this is not definitive, many reports affirm that a safe, loving environment where kids feel secure helps their brains develop in healthy ways. When parents or caregivers respond warmly and provide opportunities to learn and explore, it’s like giving a child’s brian the best possible start. On the flip side, negative experiences –like violence, neglect, or the loss of a loved one– can be harmful for this development. These tough experiences can have long-lasting effects, making it harder for kids to manage stress and emotions later on. Even parents’ mental health can have an impact on children's health.

Moreover, the teen years or adolescence are often seen as a time of change and growth –because they actually are–. This is a crucial period when young people start developing the social and emotional skills that will carry them through life. It’s also when they begin forming habits that can either support their mental health or make things tougher. Healthy sleep, regular exercise, and learning how to solve problems and connect with others are all important during this time. But it’s also a period when risky behaviors, like experimenting with alcohol and drugs, often begins, which can take a toll on mental health.

Mental health issues like anxiety and depression often start to show up during adolescence, which are associated with bullying victims. For example, anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental conditions among older adolescents, and even more among girls, with around 5.5% of girls suffering anxiety. If you never experienced anxiety, I believe that the movie Inside Out represents this really well, and it helps to understand better how much a person with this mental health condition is experiencing.

In addition, conditions like ADHD and conduct disorders are also common, particularly in younger boys, aged 10-14 years, with around 4.5% of boys in this age group experiencing ADHD. While eating disorders are another serious issue that often starts in adolescence and is more common among young women. For instance, about 0.6% in women aged 20–24 struggled with eating disorders, compared to 0.3% in men in the same age group.

How can we take part? 

The environments kids grow up in and the experiences they have can set the stage for how they handle life’s challenges down the road. However, supporting the mental health of children and youth requires a whole-of-society effort and that’s why it is so important to create supportive environments. Some things we should do are the following:

• Recognize that mental health is an essential part of overall health. Mental health is not less important than physical health, and this must be acknowledged.

• Empower youth and their families to recognize, manage, and learn from difficult emotions. Youth should build strong relationships with peers, practice techniques to manage emotions, take care of body and mind. While families should be positive role models for children and learn to identify and address challenges early.

• Try to create a positive, safe, and affirming environment.

• Ask for help. Find trusted adults, friends or family members to talk about your feelings. Reaching out others can be encouraging and this reminds us that we are not alone.

• Be a source of support for others. Talk about mental health, listen and be a source of support for other people, and try to connect them to the right resources.

If you think you need support, these are some websites and Apps you can reach out

• Center for Young Women’s Health and Young Men’s Health: These websites provide a series of guides on emotional health, including on test anxiety, depression, bullying, and eating disorders. www.youngwomenshealth.org and www.youngmenshealthsite.org

• Go Ask Alice!: Geared at young adults, this question and answer website contains a large database of questions about a variety of concerns surrounding emotional health. www.goaskalice.columbia.edu

• Girls Health.Gov: The “Your Feelings” section of this website offers guidance to teenage girls on recognizing a mental health problem, getting help, and talking to parents. http://girlshealth.gov/feelings/index.html

• Teens Health: Providing a safe place for teens who need honest and accurate information, this website provides resources on mental health issues. http://teenshealth.org/teen/your_mind/

• Teen Mental Health: Geared towards teenagers, this website provides learning tools on a variety of mental illnesses, videos, and resources for friends. http://teenmentalhealth.org/

• Beacon 2.0: Beacon is a portal to online applications (websites, mobile applications and internet support groups) for mental conditions reviewed and rated by health experts. https://beacon.anu.edu.au/

• Mindfulness for Teens: This website has resources to help teens use mindfulness to handle stress and includes apps to practice meditation and guided meditation recordings. http://mindfulnessforteens.com/

Here are also some videos with useful information that you can watch

Mental Health Minute: Stress and Anxiety in Adolescents: Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about stress and anxiety in adolescents. https://youtu.be/wr4N-SdekqY

Guided Visualization: Dealing with Stress: Learn how the brain handles stress and practice a guided visualization activity. https://youtu.be/Dq9odPtHbcg

References

International youth day. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://www.un.org/en/observances/youth-day 

Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023 - wave 4 follow up to the 2017 survey. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2023-wave-4-follow-up 

Schlack, R., Peerenboom, N., Neuperdt, L., Junker, S., & Beyer, A.-K. (2021). The effects of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence in young adults: Results of the Kiggs cohort. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8734087/#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20all,later%20in%20life%20%5B6%5D.

Mental health of adolescents. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health 

National Institute of Mental Health. Digital Shareables on Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/get-involved/digital-shareables/shareable-resources-on-child-and-adolescent-mental-health

Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Mental Health Resources for Adolescents and Young Adults. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://adolescenthealth.org/resources/resources-for-adolescents-and-parents/mental-health-resources-for-adolescents-and-young-adults/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xYbY0XsA1rCu4XPrleRLaEZ1SAFT21LavJyDjXuz2fYS1lBHGNdnkUaAuTYEALw_wcB

The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2021). Protecting Youth Mental Health. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf

World Health Organization (2022). World Mental Health Report, Transforming Mental Health for all. Retrieved from on August 11th, 2024: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/356119/9789240049338-eng.pdf?sequence=1