Anxiety epidemic worst among the young

Young Australians are bearing the brunt of the nation’s mental health burden as they seek to manage the impact of Covid-19, instability around jobs and education and a more complex world, mental health experts say.

Mental health disorders affecting more young Australians Picture: Istock

Young Australians are bearing the brunt of the nation’s mental health burden as they seek to manage the impact of Covid-19, instability around jobs and education and a more complex world of constant digital connection, mental health experts say.

But they are also more willing to admit to their issues than other generations.

New data has revealed around 1.1 million 16-24 year-old Australians, nearly four in 10, experienced a mental health disorder such as anxiety or depression in the last 12 months.

The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020-22 finds young women are more prone to mental health concerns, with almost half of female 16-24 year-olds reporting a mental disorder within the last year compared to one in three males.

Overall 4.3 million Australians aged 16-85, more than one in five, experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months, the Australian Bureau of Statistics study based on a survey of almost 16,000 people taken between December 2020 and October 2022, finds.

The same survey in 2007 found broadly similar proportions of Australians experiencing mental disorders, apart from young people. In 2007 26 per cent of 16-24 year-olds had experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months, but in the current survey that proportion had jumped to 39 per cent.

“The current survey was taken during Covid, when young people were reporting especially high levels of distress and uncertainty about their future,” Black Dog Institute senior research fellow Peter Baldwin said.

“There were heavy restrictions on their social interactions, and we know these interactions are crucial for young people’s mental health,” Dr Baldwin said.

He also said everyday pressures such as cost of living, housing uncertainty and changes to higher education were having more of an effect on younger people now than in the past.

Headspace acting head of clinical leadership Nicola Palfrey agreed, saying the last two years had been a period of “unprecedented stress” for young Australians.

“Adolescence and young adulthood is a time for expanding your networks beyond family, so it has been a really difficult time for young people,” Ms Palfrey said.

“They have found it hard to access things that protect their mental wellbeing – connection with friends and engaging in activities that bring joy.”

Beyond Blue clinical spokesman Grant Blashki said young people “are doing it tough right now.”

“We know the pandemic had a negative impact on many people’s mental health and wellbeing and certainly increased feelings of isolation and loneliness, but it was particularly young people who felt major disruptions in schooling and casual employment,” Dr Blashki said.

“As a GP, I noticed during the pandemic a lot of people withdrew from socialising and lost connection with others, and many never got back on the train to return to a level of normalcy. Cost of living pressures have also taken over as a source of stress and worry for many people.”

The experts said part of the prevalence increase may be due to younger people being more open about their mental health.

“Since 2007 there has been a lot of work undertaken to increase literacy and reduce stigma around mental health, to allow you to say you may not be travelling okay,” Ms Palfrey said. “We’ve seen that work in schools and communities encouraging people to reach out about their mental health has led to prevalence rates going up.”

Dr Baldwin said the impact on mental wellbeing of the digital age, including 24/7 connection and social media was harder to gauge.

“For some it offers connection and a community, a place where things that need to be discussed can be,” he said. “But some are being exposed through algorithms to harmful content over and over, and this can be damaging.”

The new report finds that across all age groups anxiety was the most common group of mental disorder, with 17 per cent of Australians having an anxiety disorder such as social phobia or post traumatic stress disorder within the last year.

A mental disorder is characterised by a ‘clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour.’

It includes anxiety disorders such as social phobia, panic disorder and post traumatic stress disorder, affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders.

The prevalence of mental disorders in the previous 12 months was higher for women (one in four) than for men (one in five).

“Females experienced higher rates than males of anxiety disorders (21.1 per cent compared with 13.3 per cent) and affective disorders (depression and bipolar), the report says. “Males had over twice the rate of substance use disorders (4.4 per cent compared with 2.1 per cent).”

The report also examines mental disorders by sexual orientation.

Nearly three in five people (58.7 per cent) who identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, or who used a different term to describe their sexual orientation, had a mental disorder in the previous 12 months. This compared to one in five who identified as heterosexual.

The study looked at how people were trying to manage their mental health.

Of the 4.3 million people with a 12-month mental disorder, 1.9 million (45 per cent) saw a health professional for their mental health in 2020–2022. Females (51 per cent) were more likely than males (36 per cent) to seek professional help.

Another five per cent used mental health support services through their phone, internet or another digital technology in the previous 12 months.

If you or someone you know requires assistance or support, please call Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).

 If you or someone you know requires assistance or support, please call Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).