important facts
Globally, one in seven people aged 10 to 19 years experience a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global disease burden in this age group. Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability in adolescents. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-29. The consequences of failing to address mental health conditions in adolescence extend into adulthood, compromising both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to live a fulfilling life as an adult.
introduction
One in six people are between the ages of 10 and 19. Adolescence is a unique and formative period. Physical, emotional, and social changes such as exposure to poverty, abuse, and violence can make adolescents more susceptible to mental health problems. Protecting youth from adversity, promoting social-emotional learning and psychological well-being, and ensuring access to mental health care are critical to health and well-being during adolescence and adulthood.
Globally, it is estimated that one in seven (14%) 10- to 19-year-olds experience a mental health condition (1), yet these remain largely unrecognized and untreated. It remains.
Adolescents with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (which affects their willingness to seek help), educational difficulties, risk-taking behavior, poor physical health and human rights violations.
Determinants of mental health
Adolescence is a critical time for developing social and emotional habits that are important for mental health. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns. Exercise regularly. Develop coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. And learn to control your emotions. A protective and supportive environment in the family, school and wider community is important.
Multiple factors influence mental health. The more risk factors that adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress in adolescence include exposure to adversity, pressure to conform to peers, and exploration of identity. Media influences and gender norms can exacerbate the disconnect between adolescents’ reality and their perceptions and aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include quality of family life and relationships with peers. Violence (particularly sexual violence and bullying), harsh parenting, and severe socio-economic problems are recognized risks to mental health.
Some young people are at higher risk of developing mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination and exclusion, or lack of access to quality supports and services. These include young people living in humanitarian and vulnerable settings. Youth with chronic illness, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, or other neurological conditions. Pregnant adolescents, parents of adolescents, or persons in early or forced marriage. Orphan. Youth from ethnic minorities, sexual backgrounds, or other disadvantaged groups.
mental disorder
Affective disorders are common among adolescents. Anxiety disorders (which can involve panic and excessive worrying) are most prevalent in this age group and are more common in older adults than in younger adolescents. It is estimated that 4.4% of 10- to 14-year-olds and 5.5% of 15- to 19-year-olds experience an anxiety disorder (1). Depression is estimated to affect 1.4% of adolescents aged 10–14 years and 3.5% of youth aged 15–19 years (1). Depression and anxiety share some of the same symptoms, such as sudden and unexpected changes in mood.
Anxiety and depressive disorders can have a significant impact on school attendance and academic performance. Social withdrawal can worsen isolation and loneliness. Depression can lead to suicide.
behavioral disorder
Behavioral disorders are more common in young adolescents than in older adolescents. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), characterized by difficulty paying attention, overactivity, and acting without consideration of consequences, affects 2.9% of 10- to 14-year-olds and 2.2% of 15- to 19-year-olds. occurs in ). Conduct disorder (including symptoms of disruptive or challenging behavior) occurs in 3.5% of 10- to 14-year-olds and 1.9% of 15- to 19-year-olds (1). Behavioral disorders can impact a youth’s education and increase their risk for criminal behavior.
eating disorder
Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, typically begin during adolescence or young adulthood. Eating disorders involve abnormal eating behaviors or obsessions with food, and are most often accompanied by concerns about weight or body shape. Girls are more commonly affected than boys. Eating disorders can affect physical health and often co-occur with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. They are estimated to occur in 0.1% of 10- to 14-year-olds and 0.4% of 15- to 19-year-olds (1). They are associated with suicide. Anorexia nervosa has a higher mortality rate than other mental illnesses, often leading to premature death due to complications and suicide.
mental illness
Conditions that include psychotic symptoms most commonly appear in late adolescence or early adulthood. Symptoms may include hallucinations and delusions. These experiences can impair young people’s ability to participate in daily life and education, and can often lead to prejudice and human rights violations. Schizophrenia occurs in 0.1% of 15- to 19-year-olds (1).
suicide and self-harm
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among older adolescents and young adults (15–29 years) (2). Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted and include harmful alcohol use, childhood abuse, stigma against help-seeking, and barriers to accessing care and means of suicide. Digital media, like other media, can play an important role in strengthening or weakening suicide prevention efforts.
risk-taking behavior
Many health-risk behaviors, such as drug use and sexual risk-taking, begin during adolescence. Risk-taking behaviors may not be helpful as a strategy for coping with emotional problems and can have serious effects on adolescents’ mental and physical health.
Young people are especially susceptible to developing patterns of harmful substance use that can last throughout their lives. In 2019, the prevalence of alcohol use among 15- to 19-year-olds was high globally (22%), with little difference between men and women, and some regions saw an increase in alcohol consumption (3).
Tobacco and cannabis use are additional concerns. Many adult smokers smoke their first cigarette before the age of 18. In 2022, the prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents was higher than the prevalence among adults worldwide (5.5 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively) (4).
Perpetrating violence is a risky activity that can increase the likelihood of lower educational attainment, injury, involvement in crime, or death. Interpersonal violence ranked as the leading cause of death among older adults in 2021 (1).
promotion and prevention
Mental health promotion and prevention interventions strengthen individuals’ ability to regulate emotions, strengthen alternatives to risk-taking behaviors, build resilience to cope with difficult situations and adversity, and foster collaborative It aims to promote a social environment and social networks.
These programs include a multi-level approach using a variety of delivery platforms, including digital media, health and social care settings, schools and communities, and a variety of programs to specifically reach the most vulnerable young people. A strategy is required.
Early detection and early treatment
It is important to meet the needs of young people with mental health conditions. Avoiding institutionalization and over-medicalization, prioritizing non-pharmacological approaches, and respecting children’s rights in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments will improve the mental health of young people. This is the key.
WHO response
WHO is working on strategies, programs and tools to help governments address the health needs of adolescents.
For example, the Helping Youth Thrive (HAT) initiative is a joint effort between WHO and UNICEF to strengthen policies and programs for youth mental health. More specifically, the work undertaken through this initiative is the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health conditions. It also aims to prevent other risk behaviors, such as self-harm and harmful use of alcohol and drugs, which have a negative impact on young people’s mental and physical health.
WHO has also developed a module on mental and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents as part of the mhGAP Intervention Guide 2.0. This guide provides evidence-based clinical protocols for the assessment and management of various mental health conditions in non-professional care settings.
Additionally, WHO is developing and testing scalable psychological interventions to address emotional disorders in adolescents and guidance on mental health services for adolescents.
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has launched a mental health training program for educators to deepen understanding of the importance of mental health in school settings and guide the implementation of strategies to promote, protect and restore the mental health of students. Developed a training package. This includes training manuals and materials to increase the number of schools promoting mental health.
(1) Health Metrics Evaluation Institute. Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx)
(2) WHO global health projections 2000 to 2021
(3) Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders 2024
(4) World Drug Report. Geneva: UNODC; 2024 (
