Rates of anxiety, depression, and related conditions have surged among young people in England, with nearly a quarter having common mental health issues, according to a new NHS survey. The study, which monitored mental health trends over a decade, reveals a 35% increase in such conditions among 16-to-24-year-olds, rising from 18.9% in 2014 to 25.8% in 2024. Young women are disproportionately affected, with 36.1% reporting these issues compared to 16.3% of young men.
The survey, part of the NHS’s Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, also reports sharp increases in overall mental health issues, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm across different age groups. Notably, the rate of self-harm has quadrupled since 2000, with the highest rates found among young women (31.7%) in the 16-24 age bracket.
Sally McManus, a leading researcher on the survey, attributes these rising figures to a broad range of modern stress factors affecting young people, including job insecurity, housing concerns, the impact of COVID-19, and climate change. The study also indicates that while more individuals with mental health conditions are seeking treatment, a significant proportion – more than half – are still not receiving the help they need.
Health sector experts, including Marjorie Wallace from the mental health charity Sane, have criticized the current system as underfunded and insufficient to meet the growing demand. They call for urgent investment and broader social changes to address mental health challenges.
In response, the government plans to enhance mental health services by introducing a self-referral system through the NHS app for talking therapies and expanding emergency mental health departments across England. Meanwhile, mental health professionals and charities emphasize the critical need for sustained investment in mental health services and infrastructure to match the increasing demand for care.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/26/young-people-england-common-mental-health-conditions-nhs-survey
