The mental health of young people in England is facing unprecedented challenges. Recent data from NHS England reveals that over 600,000 individuals aged 15 to 25 were prescribed anti-depressants during the 2023-24 period. Alarmingly, one in five children and young people between the ages of eight and 25 are now believed to suffer from a mental health disorder, according to official statistics. Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has characterized the current situation as “shocking,” asserting that the mental health system is in “crisis.”
This crisis stems from a unique set of challenges faced by today's youth, including the lingering effects of the 2008 financial crisis, the upheaval caused by Brexit, and the significant disruptions introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, young people are navigating a landscape rife with anxiety and uncertainty. The prevailing approach to mental health care within the National Health Service (NHS) has been criticized for failing to foster collaboration among various support networks, leaving many young individuals without adequate assistance.
Experts underscore the importance of resilience as a critical factor in promoting mental well-being among young people. Research indicates that higher levels of resilience can enhance life satisfaction and serve as a buffer against mental health problems. Prof. Andrea Danese, a leading figure in child and adolescent psychiatry, asserts that resilience must be prioritized in addressing these issues. The concept of resilience gained traction in the 1970s through the work of psychologist Emmy Werner, who studied children from lower-income backgrounds in Hawaii.
Despite the challenges posed by social media, experts caution against oversimplifying the origins of mental health problems among young people. Prof. Danese argues that while social media can exacerbate issues such as cyber-bullying and body image pressures, it cannot alone account for the widespread mental health crises observed today. Adam Jones, a policy manager at the mental health charity Young Minds, emphasizes that young people must be equipped with coping strategies like meditation from an early age to navigate their complex emotional landscape.
The current generation of children and young adults faces an array of difficulties that are inadequately addressed by existing mental health services. Adam Jones calls for a fundamental rethinking of the mental health system for young people. He highlights promising examples of programs that deliver integrated support, such as The Nest in South London and the Young Person's Advisory Service in Merseyside.
Adele Zeynep Walton, a mental health advocate, poignantly summarizes the multifaceted crisis facing today's youth. She states, "From social media platforms that make us more isolated and anxious, to underfunded mental health services that are on the brink of collapse and a global climate crisis that puts our future at risk – it's no wonder that young people are struggling to stay positive." She further reflects on resilience, stating that while it can protect against daily challenges, it is not a panacea for deeper systemic issues: "While individual resilience can be a great tool to protect us from the severity of the challenges we face and help us bounce back from the struggles of everyday life, to say it can fix the problems facing young people today is like putting a plaster on a gaping wound."
The need for a comprehensive strategy to bolster resilience among young people is echoed by Jane Graham, who advocates for better education on mental well-being within schools. She argues that fostering resilience should be part of the curriculum: "We need to do much better at teaching resilience in schools and how to stay mentally healthy." However, she raises concerns about how current practices may unintentionally hinder this development: "But the way we treat children, such as primary school sports days where everyone is declared a winner, doesn't help."
Dr. Shari McDaid emphasizes that preventing mental distress from escalating into disorder requires a collective effort. She advocates for a whole-of-society approach that cultivates mentally healthy communities, schools, and workplaces while enhancing personal resilience among young people. "What we need to do is work harder at preventing young people's mental distress from escalating into disorder – and we can do this through a whole-of-society approach that creates mentally healthy communities," she states.
The relationship between resilience-building and systemic support is crucial. Dr. McDaid asserts that both approaches are interconnected: "The two approaches go hand in hand." For effective change to occur, recognition of today's challenges is essential; Dr. McDaid notes, "What young people need is the recognition that the world we live in today makes it difficult to thrive as a young person and a genuine effort from those in power to tackle those barriers to wellbeing at the root."
Prof. Danese further elaborates on resilience's role in youth development, highlighting that facing challenges is integral to personal growth: "Facing challenges and distress is normal and important in terms of individual growth." He explains how exposure to manageable difficulties helps young people develop emotional resilience: "That's how young people develop emotional resilience – they learn coping skills in the face of many small challenges and build self-confidence about their ability to cope."
As England grapples with this pressing mental health crisis among its youth, calls for reform and innovative support strategies grow louder. Stakeholders across sectors must work collaboratively to cultivate resilient communities capable of addressing these complex challenges.
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