As many as eight in 10 teenagers say they are suffering from mental ill health, with more than a third (35%) of this future workforce already needing professional support for depression or anxiety, twice the adult rate, according to a survey.
The poll of 1,406 13- to 17-year-olds was commissioned by AI chat mental health app Wysa.
It also concluded that more than half of those reporting mental ill health had not been able to access the support they needed. Only a third of those who had managed to access support said it was what they needed anyway.
Drilling down into the study, more than one in three 13-17 year olds surveyed indicated symptoms of depression or anxiety that warranted investigation.
A total of 82% self-reported a range of mental health issues, such as anxiety (49%, rising to 63% of females), trouble sleeping (21%), dislike of image (26%), fear of socialising (29%) and other concerns.
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Half were worried about their parents’ money, showing how the cost-of-living crisis is potentially preying on teenagers’ mental health.
More than half (55%) who scored 3 or more on GAD2 and PHQ2 screening questionnaires for anxiety and depression admitted they had not spoken to a relevant professional about it.
A key reason for this was embarrassment (43%) or that they did not recognise they needed help (41%).
Around one in six (17%) did not know who to speak to, which rose to a quarter (23%) of 13- to 15-year-olds.
Half of young people did say they would speak to their parents (53%), and a similar number to friends (46%).
But ahead of child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) services (25%) and teachers (21%) was TikTok (33%). Teenagers were often using their phones and social media to access mental health support, which may not be accurate or regulated, Wysa warned.
Emma Taylor, CAMHS lead at Wysa, said: “This research is clearly showing us that support isn’t available right when our young people want it. Resources mean that young people who present for clinical support have limited and time-bound treatment at specific times of the day – which may not be when they most need help.”
Separately, insurer Mercer has published a guide looking at how employers supported employee mental health during the pandemic and what we can learn from that.
The Mercer Employees’ Minds study concluded that, during the height of the pandemic, organisations supported employees in four critical ways.
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These were: they communicated; they focused on health and safety needs; they allowed greater flexibility; and they led with empathy.
The guide also concluded that 61% of employees were broadly happy with the support they received and their experience of the pandemic and more than half (58%) felt motivated to go ‘above and beyond’ for their employer. However, 40% said they “seriously” considering leaving their employment as a result.
