Significant rise in youth mental health issues reported

A new global study has shown a significant increase in mental health issues among children and teenagers during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, there were 123 million new cases of mental health disorders, marking an annual increase of over 11 percent compared to before the pandemic. The study examined data from 204 countries, focusing on individuals aged 5 to 24. It compared mental health trends from pre-pandemic years to 2020 and 2021. Researchers used a statistical model to estimate how much of the increase was linked to the pandemic by comparing expected and actual case numbers. Key findings show that anxiety disorders became the leading cause of nonfatal disability in youth, resulting in nearly 13 million years lived with disability in 2021. Depression also rose sharply, ranking fourth in causes of disability among young people. The study highlighted that females, especially young adults aged 15 to 24, experienced the largest rise in depression. Anxiety also surged among children under 10. Regions like North America and Western Europe reported the most significant increases. However, the study had limitations. It could not analyze differences across racial or ethnic groups, and it only covered data until 2021. This leaves uncertainty about the long-term effects of the pandemic on youth mental health. More research is needed to understand if these challenges will continue over time.