Youth Mental Health in Australia Is Improving

mental health
Written By Rachel Williams

For years the story about young Australians and mental health has read the same way, more anxiety, more pressure, more teenagers struggling to keep their heads above water.   New research out of UNSW Sydney suggests that story might finally be starting to shift.   It is not a full recovery.   But for any parent who has spent the past few years worried about a teenager who seems flatter, more anxious or harder to reach, it is a genuinely hopeful piece of data.

What the research actually found

The study drew on the long running HILDA survey, which has tracked tens of thousands of Australians every year since 2001.   Mental health scores for Australians under 25 fell sharply between 2019 and 2021, the steepest drop of any age group measured.   By 2024, that age group had regained some of the lost ground, although scores still sit below where they were before the pandemic.   Older Australians stayed comparatively stable across the same period, which points to something specific happening for young people rather than a broad national trend.

The researchers were careful to note the data describes what changed rather than exactly why.   Likely contributors include the mass uptake of smartphones and social media in the mid 2010s, cost of living pressure, and academic competition, layered on top of the disruption of the pandemic itself.   Under 25s, and particularly young women, still carry the largest share of the burden and remain the clear priority for continued support.

Signs worth paying attention to

Most teenagers have mood swings.   That is a normal part of adolescence and not something to worry about on its own.   What matters more is a change that lasts for more than a couple of weeks, especially when it shows up alongside other shifts in how your teenager is functioning day to day.

  • Feeling flat, irritable or numb for more than two weeks

  • Losing interest in things they used to enjoy

  • Sleeping much more or much less than usual, or appetite changes

  • Withdrawing from friends or family

  • Trouble concentrating, or a noticeable drop in schoolwork

  • Avoiding school, social events or things that used to feel manageable

None of these signs on their own means something is seriously wrong.   Together, and especially if they persist, they are worth a conversation.

Starting the conversation without making it a big deal

Teenagers tend to open up more easily when a conversation feels low key rather than like a sit down talk.   A car trip, a walk, or doing something side by side often works better than a face to face chat at the kitchen table.   A specific, gentle question tends to get further than a general how are you.

Family therapy can help here too, particularly when a teenager's low mood is tangled up with what is happening at home, at school or between family members.   At Valentia Health, our neurodiverse-informed therapists work with teens, families and couples to help everyone understand what is going on and find a way through it together, whether that is in person at our Taringa practice or via telehealth.

When to get professional support

If changes have lasted more than a couple of weeks, or your teenager is talking about feeling hopeless, worthless or wanting to disappear, it is time to involve a GP.   A GP can assess your teenager and, where appropriate, prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which opens up Medicare rebated sessions with a psychologist.

This applies just as much to families outside Brisbane.   A Mental Health Treatment Plan gives access to the same rebated psychology sessions by telehealth no matter where you live in Australia.

If you are noticing changes in your teenager, or want support working through it as a family, Valentia Health offers therapy for teens, adults, couples and families, in person in Taringa or by telehealth anywhere in Australia, with Medicare rebates available through a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP.   Visit valentiahealth.com.au or give us a call to book.

 

References

 

This post is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional psychological advice. If you are in crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or call 000.

Rachel Williams
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