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| Quarter of 17-19-year-olds have probable mental disorder - study | Quarter of 17-19-year-olds have probable mental disorder - study |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| One in four 17- to 19-year-olds in England had a probable mental disorder in 2022 - up from one in six in 2021, according to an NHS Digital report. | One in four 17- to 19-year-olds in England had a probable mental disorder in 2022 - up from one in six in 2021, according to an NHS Digital report. |
| Based on an online survey, rates among teenage boys and girls were similar - but twice as high in 17- to 24-year-old women compared with men. | |
| And children affected were more likely to live in a household with money issues or using a food bank. | And children affected were more likely to live in a household with money issues or using a food bank. |
| Charities said the figures were deeply worrying. | |
| The charity Mind said the UK government "will be failing an entire generation unless it prioritises investment in young people's mental-health services". | The charity Mind said the UK government "will be failing an entire generation unless it prioritises investment in young people's mental-health services". |
| The findings are based on the views and experiences of 2,866 young people aged above six who have been followed up since 2017. | |
| Their responses to an online survey, and those of younger children's parents, in April 2022, were used to assess different aspects of mental health, including emotional problems, behaviour and relationships. | |
| The children and young people were then classified by how likely they were to have a mental disorder - unlikely, possible or probable - without being seen or diagnosed by a mental-health specialist. | The children and young people were then classified by how likely they were to have a mental disorder - unlikely, possible or probable - without being seen or diagnosed by a mental-health specialist. |
| An initial survey of children's mental health, in 2017, was followed-up in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to track changes. | An initial survey of children's mental health, in 2017, was followed-up in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to track changes. |
| The study was: | |
| funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education | |
| commissioned by NHS Digital | |
| conducted by the Office for National Statistics, the National Centre for Social Research, University of Cambridge and University of Exeter | |
| The survey results suggest a probable mental disorder among: | |
| 18% of seven- to 16-year-olds - five in every classroom | 18% of seven- to 16-year-olds - five in every classroom |
| nearly 33% of female 17- to 24-year-olds, compared with 13% of male | nearly 33% of female 17- to 24-year-olds, compared with 13% of male |
| nearly 20% of male seven- to 16-year-olds, compared with 10% of female | nearly 20% of male seven- to 16-year-olds, compared with 10% of female |
| Young people with a probable mental health disorder were more likely to: | Young people with a probable mental health disorder were more likely to: |
| say they had self-harmed, with 28% saying they had talked about it in the past four weeks | say they had self-harmed, with 28% saying they had talked about it in the past four weeks |
| live in a household where paying bills and putting food on the table was a challenge | live in a household where paying bills and putting food on the table was a challenge |
| 'I was in a very dark place' | 'I was in a very dark place' |
| Matthew Rimmington, 24, is working full-time after studying acting at university - but aged 18, he felt his life was falling apart. | Matthew Rimmington, 24, is working full-time after studying acting at university - but aged 18, he felt his life was falling apart. |
| It started with symptoms of anxiety, which deteriorated until his feelings really started scaring him. | It started with symptoms of anxiety, which deteriorated until his feelings really started scaring him. |
| Despite going to his GP and being referred to NHS mental-health services, Matthew received no early support. | Despite going to his GP and being referred to NHS mental-health services, Matthew received no early support. |
| "I was put on one waiting list and then another one," he says. | "I was put on one waiting list and then another one," he says. |
| "It was a constant back and forth and we never got anywhere." | "It was a constant back and forth and we never got anywhere." |
| His mother paid for counselling - but before long, Matthew was self-harming and regularly attempting suicide. | His mother paid for counselling - but before long, Matthew was self-harming and regularly attempting suicide. |
| "I convinced the NHS crisis care team that I was OK - but I was in a very dark place," he says. | "I convinced the NHS crisis care team that I was OK - but I was in a very dark place," he says. |
| After being diagnosed with a separate medical condition that could have caused his mental-health issues, Matthew felt more positive and started university. | After being diagnosed with a separate medical condition that could have caused his mental-health issues, Matthew felt more positive and started university. |
| Meeting up with a peer mentor every week helped him through his studies - but he is aware of the challenges that lie ahead. | Meeting up with a peer mentor every week helped him through his studies - but he is aware of the challenges that lie ahead. |
| Matthew now takes anti-depressant medication and, knowing his anxiety will never completely disappear, goes for counselling when he can afford it. | Matthew now takes anti-depressant medication and, knowing his anxiety will never completely disappear, goes for counselling when he can afford it. |
| "NHS services always have too long a wait," he says, "a wait no-one suffering from mental illness should have to be patient for." | "NHS services always have too long a wait," he says, "a wait no-one suffering from mental illness should have to be patient for." |
| Mind interim chief executive officer Sophie Corlett said funding should be directed towards mental-health hubs for young people in England, where they can go when they first start to struggle with their mental health. | |
| "The earlier a young person gets support for their mental health, the more effective that support is likely to be," she said. | |
| "Young people and their families cannot be sidelined any longer by the government, who need to prioritise the crisis in youth mental health as a matter of national emergency." | |
| The NHS Digital survey also indicates: | |
| one in eight 11- to 16-year-old social-media users have been bullied online - and more than a quarter of those have a probable mental disorder | |
| nearly two-thirds of 17- to 24-year-olds - and more girls than boys - have a possible eating problem | |
| teenagers with a probable mental health disorder are more likely feel lonely, with 18% affected | |
| a third of seven- to 16-year-olds and two-thirds of 17- to 23-year-olds had had problems sleeping in the past week | |
| The Children's Society echoed the call for early support hubs, saying the figures laid bare the "horrifying scale of mental health issues" affecting children and young people. | |
| Amy Dicks, from the society, said the problem of online bullying underlined the importance of the Online Safety Bill progressing quickly through Parliament "to protect children from dangers like cyber-bullying". |