Significant Portion of Young Adults Anticipate Needing Mental Health Support Within the Next Year

Recent survey results highlight a concerning trend among young adults in Britain, revealing that a considerable number are experiencing mental health challenges and anticipate requiring support soon. According to polling conducted by YouGov for UCL's Grand Challenge of Mental Health & Wellbeing, 64% of individuals aged 16-25 report having faced mental health difficulties at some point, and approximately 32% expect to need mental health support in the upcoming year.

The survey, involving 1,545 participants, found that mental health issues are most prevalent among 20- to 21-year-olds, with 40% currently experiencing difficulties and an additional 31% having experienced issues in the past. Notably, women are more likely than men to report mental health difficulties, with 72% of women stating they have experienced such issues compared to 56% of men.

Factors negatively impacting mental health include academic pressures and financial stresses, cited by 17% and 16% of respondents, respectively. Being neither in employment nor education correlates with higher current mental health difficulties, at 47%, compared to 32% among the general sample. Researchers also associate academic stress, especially around exams, with increased mental health challenges in young people.

UCL researchers emphasize the need for expanded research, early intervention, and preventative strategies. Professor Essi Viding from UCL Psychology & Language Sciences states that these findings may partly result from better awareness and identification of mental health issues. She advocates for school-based social-emotional programs for mild to moderate cases and more intensive treatments for severe cases.

Most young people (86%) who had experienced mental health difficulties reported seeking support, with friends (53%) and family (47%) being the primary sources of help. Support from private therapists received higher satisfaction (74%), while NHS therapists and GPs scored lower (56% and 53%, respectively). Nearly 69% of those referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) found the support unhelpful, potentially reflecting the severity of cases referred.

Experts like Professor Argyris Stringaris highlight the importance of tailored interventions, noting that the broad term "mental health difficulties" encompasses diverse experiences. He underscores the critical need to develop predictive tools to identify support needs early and effectively. Additionally, recent studies suggest NHS talking therapies are less effective for 16- to 24-year-olds than for older adults, underscoring the urgent need to adapt mental health treatments for young populations.

The UCL team advocates for cross-disciplinary efforts, including innovative social prescribing pathways and the development of new pharmacological treatments, to better support young people's mental health. These findings reinforce the importance of early intervention and targeted support to address the mental health epidemic among youth.