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YOUNG PEOPLE STRUGGLE IN PANDEMIC A joint report by Mission Australia and Black Dog Institute reveals that substantially more young people in Australia are experiencing psychological distress. The report also reveals that young people had higher odds of experiencing psychological distress if they identified as female, non-binary, Indigenous or living with disability. One in four young people in 2020 said they are experiencing mental health challenges; a significant increase since 2012 when one in five young people were facing similar concerns. The Psychological distress in young people in Australia fifth biennial youth mental health report: 2012-2020 is conducted by Mission Australia and co-authored with Black Dog Institute experts – to better understand the prevalence and experiences of psychological distress faced by 15-19 year-olds in Australia. The report looked at the responses of 25,103 young people who answered the question measuring psychological distress in 2020. It also looked at their help-seeking behaviours – pinpointing the important role that friends, parents, services, schools and the internet and apps play as sources of support for young people who are experiencing psychological distress. The findings prompted the call for more action from governments, schools, families, businesses and others to prioritise tailored, timely and accessible mental health support, in an effort to reduce the prevalence of mental ill-health among young people in Australia. In response to the report’s findings, Mission Australia’s CEO James Toomey said: “Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact on many young people’s mental health. Youth mental health is an important national challenge that must be addressed. Black Dog Institute’s Director of Research, Professor Jennie Hudson said: “Global research tells us that over 75% of mental health issues develop before the age of 25, and these can have lifelong consequences. “We are still in the dark as to why mental health and suicide risk has increased in our current cohort of youth, a finding that is not unique to Australia. “Early intervention in adolescence and childhood is imperative to help reduce these figures. This report shows that young people in distress will seek help directly from friends, parents and the internet. As such, we need to continue to build gatekeeper support training and provide online and app-based tools that may be a key part of the solution - something we are invested in doing at the Black Dog Institute.”
Source: Report by Mission Australia & Black Dog Institute released on 8 September 2021. For more info: missionaustralia.com.au and blackdog.org.au 12
