Young people’s mental health

Important information

• Globally, one in seven children aged 10-19 have a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
• Depression, anxiety and behavioral problems are among the leading causes of illness and disability among young people.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-29.
• The consequences of failing to address youth mental health conditions extend into adulthood, damaging physical and mental health and reducing opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults. .

Introduction

One in six people is aged 10-19. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional, and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make young people vulnerable to mental health problems. Protecting youth from harm, promoting social and emotional education and mental well-being, and ensuring access to mental health care are critical to their health and well-being throughout adolescence and adulthood. .

Globally, it is estimated that one in seven (14%) 10-19 year olds experience a mental health condition. (1)however these remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Young people with mental health conditions are at risk of social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (affecting readiness to seek help), learning difficulties, risk-taking behaviour, illness and abuse it is human rights.

Mental health outcomes

Adolescence is an important time for developing social and emotional skills that are important for mental health. These include adopting good sleeping habits; regular exercise; improve coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to control emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the home, school and wider community are essential.

Many things affect mental health. When young people are exposed to multiple risk factors, it has a significant impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to depression in adolescence include exposure to adversity, pressure to conform to peers, and information analysis. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the gap between the reality of a young person’s life and their ideals or aspirations for the future. Other important factors include the quality of their home life and peer relationships. Abuse (especially sexual abuse and bullying), abusive parenting and severe economic and social problems are notable risks to mental health.

Some young people are at high risk of developing mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality help and services. These include young people living in disadvantaged and disadvantaged circumstances; youth with a chronic illness, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability or other neurological condition; pregnant women, teenage parents, or those in early or forced marriages; orphans; and young people from ethnic or sexual minorities or other marginalized groups.

Emotional problems

Emotional problems are common among teenagers. Anxiety disorders (which may include panic or excessive worry) are the most common in this age group and are more common among older adults than among teenagers. . It is estimated that 4.4% of children aged 10-14 and 5.5% of children aged 15-19 have an anxiety disorder. (1). Depression is estimated to occur in 1.4% of 10-14 year olds, and 3.5% of 15-19 year olds. (1). Depression and anxiety share some of the same symptoms, including sudden and unexpected mood swings.

Anxiety and depression problems can significantly affect school attendance and schoolwork. Social withdrawal can worsen isolation and loneliness. Depression can lead to suicide.

Behavioral problems

Behavioral problems are more common among teenagers than among older adults. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by difficulty paying attention and/or hyperactivity and acting out without consequences, occurs in 2.9% of children aged 10-14 and 2.2 % of children aged 15-19. (1). Conduct disorder (which includes signs of disruptive or challenging behavior) occurs in 3.5% of children aged 10-14 and 1.9% of children aged 15-19. (1). Behavioral problems can affect young people’s education and increase the risk of criminal behavior.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, often develop during adolescence and into adulthood. Eating disorders include abnormal eating behaviors and preoccupations with food, often accompanied by concerns about weight and shape. Girls are affected more often than boys. Eating disorders can affect physical health and are often accompanied by depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. They occur in 0.1% of children aged 10-14 and 0.4% of children aged 15-19 (1). They are associated with suicide. Anorexia nervosa can lead to premature death, often from medical complications or suicide, and has a higher mortality than any other mental illness.

Psychosis

Conditions that include symptoms of psychosis tend to develop in adolescence or adulthood. Symptoms may include hallucinations or delusions. These experiences can undermine a young person’s ability to participate in everyday life and education, and often lead to stigma or human rights violations. Schizophrenia occurs in 0.1% of children aged 15-19 (1).

Suicide and self-harm

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young adults and young adults (ages 15-29). (2). The risks of suicide are multifaceted, and include alcohol abuse, childhood abuse, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to access to care, and suicidal behavior. Digital media, like any other media, can play an important role in improving or undermining suicide prevention efforts.

Risk-taking behavior

Many life-threatening behaviors, such as drug use or sexual exposure, begin during adolescence. Risk-taking behavior can be an ineffective coping strategy and can have a negative impact on a young person’s mental and physical health.

Young people are at high risk of developing harmful drug use patterns that can last a lifetime. In 2019, the prevalence of alcohol use among 15-19 year olds was high globally (22%) with very little gender difference, and shows an increase of consumption of alcoholic beverages elsewhere. (3).

Tobacco and cannabis use are additional concerns. Most smokers had their first cigarette before the age of 18. In 2022, cannabis use among youth was higher than among adults worldwide ( 5.5 percent compared to 4.4 percent respectively). (4).

Bullying is a risk-taking behavior that can increase the likelihood of poor education, injury, involvement in crime or death. Interpersonal violence was among the leading causes of death for young adults in 2021 (1).

Promotion and prevention

The benefits of mental health promotion and prevention are aimed at strengthening one’s ability to manage emotions, developing alternative risk-taking strategies, building resilience to manage difficult situations and adversity, and promoting social support levels and networks the community.

These programs require a multi-level approach with different delivery platforms – for example, digital media, health or social care, schools or society – and different ways to reach young people, especially the most vulnerable.

Early detection and treatment

It is important to address the needs of young people with mental health conditions. Avoiding institutionalization and overuse of drugs, prioritizing non-pharmacological approaches, and respecting children’s rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments are key of youth mental health.

WHO’s response

WHO works on policies, programs and tools to help governments respond to the health needs of young people.

For example, the Helping Adolescents (HAT) Initiative is a joint WHO-UNICEF effort to strengthen youth mental health policies and programs. In particular, efforts made through the Initiative are to promote mental health and prevent mental health conditions. It is also intended to help prevent self-harm and other harmful behaviours, such as harmful use of alcohol and drugs, which have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of young people.

WHO has also developed a module on Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Disorders as part of the mhGAP 2.0 Intervention Guide. This guideline provides evidence-based clinical protocols for the assessment and management of a wide range of mental health conditions in non-specialty care settings.

In addition, WHO is developing and testing robust psychosocial interventions to address youth emotional problems, and guidance on youth mental health services.

The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has developed a mental health training package for educators for a better understanding of the importance of mental health in schools and to guide the implementation of strategies to promote, protect and to restore mental health among their students. It includes training manuals and resources to help increase the number of schools that promote mental health.

(1) Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation. Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx)

(2) WHO Global Health Estimates 2000-2021

(3) Global status report on alcohol and substance use disorder health and treatment 2024

(4) World Drug Report. Geneva: UNODC; 2024(