Young Brits facing sharp rise in mental health problems – with one group particularly affected

Young people are facing a "lack of hope" that their lives will be better than their parents "for the first time since the Second World War", experts warned after reporting a rise in mental health problems.

Professor Peter Fonagy, chairman of a new review into mental ill-health, warned of a "turning point" that society must address as more young people feel "they’re going to have a future that’s less hopeful than their parents".

The review states that the rise in mental health problems "is real, is affecting everyday functioning and cannot be explained by greater awareness alone".

At present around four million children are in "serious distress", academics said, and they warned that this figure could rise to 4.5 million by 2030 without action.

In 1993 around one in six children and young people met the criteria for a common mental health disorder and this rose to one in four by 2024.

Common mental health problems and mental distress have "increased substantially", particularly among young women, according to the review.

Self-harm and eating disorders have also increased among young adults, the report added.

It warned that the number of children and young people who self-harm could rise by half a million in just a few years if current trends continue.

In 2024, around two million children and young people aged up to 24 were estimated to have self-harmed.

Multiple factors contributing to rising mental ill-health among young people

Experts also highlighted the co-occurrence of mental health disorders and traits of autism or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) among children and young people.

Among 16 to 24-year-olds with a common mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, some 57% also had traits of ADHD and 61% had autism traits, researchers found.

Professor Peter Fonagy, chairman of the review, listed multiple factors which could be contributing to rising mental ill-health among young people, including uncertainty about their futures, a lessened sense of belonging, the impacts of social media and reduced spending on services such as youth clubs.

He said: “There is increased uncertainty – financial pressures, insecure work, unaffordable housing – but perhaps more important, a lack of hope amongst young people that their lives will be better than their parents, and that’s the first time since the Second World War that surveys have noticed that.”

He added: “We are waiting too long. The threshold for seeing people is too high and too many people are untreated.”

Prof Fonagy, who is head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL, said people feel isolated from education, work and their communities “whilst they wait to get help”.

He added: “And that’s sad because we know what works for this group: early support based on needs alongside clinical help, giving people a sense of purpose, agency and place.”

Britain ‘faces generational fault line’

Analysis published in the summer suggested young people’s life satisfaction has fallen sharply in recent years.

Fewer than half of 16 to 24-year-olds living in England feel satisfied with their lives nowadays, down from almost two-thirds in 2010, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank said, adding that “growing up in England has become more pressured, more isolating and less enjoyable than it was even a decade ago”.

That research followed another Government adviser earlier this year warning of the risk of “a lost generation” amid a crisis in youth unemployment.

One-time health secretary Alan Milburn, whose final report is expected later this autumn, said in an interim publication in May that Britain “faces a generational fault line”, with factors including the pandemic, smartphones, a lack of readiness for work on leaving school and a challenging jobs market all impacting on rising youth unemployment.

Centre for Mental Health chief executive Andy Bell said: “The (Fonagy) report makes clear that rising rates of mental distress do not have a single cause.

“It’s the result of a toxic mix of risks that have affected children and young people most strongly, coupled with inadequate investment in mental health support.

“That means we need to tackle rising mental distress systemically: tackling the wide range of stressors that are doing harm and putting in place better and faster support where and when it’s needed.”

Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said: “Increased need for support is not due to a ‘snowflake generation’ or a case of overdiagnosis.

“Young people are growing up in a challenging world and it’s no surprise that more are struggling with their mental health.

“This report is a watershed moment for change.”

Brian Dow, deputy chief executive of Rethink Mental Illness, added: “Mental distress is rising, particularly among young people.

“These are our family members, neighbours and friends who are struggling and in need of support.

“But the review is also clear that a better future is possible, so we eagerly await the publication of the Government’s new mental health strategy.

“This review must be a line in the sand. It’s time to stop debating the problem and start focusing on solutions to tackle this mental health crisis head on.”