ALMOST TWO out of three teenagers feel unable to cope with many of the problems they face, according to new mental health research. The survey of more than 1,000 young people aged 12 to 18 also indicates that many teenagers who are anxious or depressed feel they have no one to talk to.
Almost half report having been bullied at some stage, while one in 10 say they have experienced serious mental health problems, but have not sought professional help.
The research was conducted in schools earlier this year by Headstrong, the national centre for youth mental health.
A total of just 64 per cent say they have an adult available to talk through problems regularly, while 38 per cent report being able to cope with the problems they face.
A young person who does not have an adult to talk to is significantly more likely to experience mental health problems, research indicates. A further breakdown of the research shows young people are most likely to experience anxiety or depression in third year and fifth year of secondary school.
Headstrong’s director of research Barbara Dooley said this finding surprised many teachers and parents who assumed that distress among teens would peak during the Leaving Certificate year.
“Third year is a transitional period, many young people are separating from family and developing a sense of autonomy. They’re experiencing peer pressure, drinking, going out at night without parents, and they have their first taste of State exams,” she said.
“In transition year, there’s not as much stress in school, a sense of autonomy is beginning to be established at home, so they tend to be easier years. By the time fifth year comes around, they have to make big decisions and choices about their career.”
Ms Dooley, who is also head of UCD’s school of psychology, said it was important to point out that most young people go on to successfully navigate their way through the challenges of adolescence. The report also proposes a solution to the way mental health services are structured, to ensure they are better able to meet the needs of young people.
Focus group research shows a widespread negative stigma surrounding mental health services, while young people who try to access support find many barriers such as cost, long waiting times and lack of services outside school hours.
Founding director of Headstrong Dr Tony Bates said it was vital to provide young people with the appropriate support they needed as early as possible.
“We need a radical rethink of how we support our young people growing up in Ireland, which looks very different from the Ireland of previous generations,” he said.
He said a pilot programme in Galway known as the Jigsaw Programme, which provides access to mental health services in a youth-friendly way, could provide a model for other areas across the State.
