Mental health crisis: Study finds anxiety and depression have surged to historic highs in young people

A global study revealed a dramatic rise in mental health issues among children and adolescents during the pandemic, with 123 million new cases in 2021.

A new study has found a sharp rise in mental health disorders among children and teenagers during the Covid-19 pandemic, with cases increasing by over 11 percent each year. With schools shutting down, social lives put on pause, and an overall sense of uncertainty, young minds took a serious hit. The findings highlight the lasting impact of the pandemic on youth mental health, raising concerns about its long-term effects on their well-being.

Study reveals 123 million new youth mental health cases during pandemic, anxiety tops list.(Unsplash)

Pandemic's impact on youth mental health

Before the pandemic, mental health issues among young people were already a growing concern, but large-scale global studies focusing specifically on children and adolescents were limited. This new research aimed to fill that gap by analysing data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021.

Study reveals significant rise in mental health disorders among youth during COVID-19. (freepik )

The study looked at mental health trends in individuals aged 5 to 24 across 204 countries, comparing pre-pandemic data from 2019 with figures from 2020 and 2021. Researchers examined the number of new cases, the total affected population, and the overall burden in terms of years lived with disability (YLDs).

Key findings of the study

To determine how much of this increase was directly linked to the pandemic, they used a statistical model that predicted expected mental disorder rates based on past trends. By comparing these estimates with actual recorded cases, they were able to assess the pandemic's true impact on youth mental health.

Researchers analysed mental health trends by sex, age, and socioeconomic factors using the sociodemographic index, which considers education, income, and fertility rates. Their findings revealed a sharp rise in mental disorders among children and adolescents during the pandemic, with 123 million new cases in 2021 alone. The annual increase in new cases surged by 11.8 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Anxiety disorders saw the biggest impact, becoming the top cause of nonfatal disability in this age group, accounting for 12.9 million years lived with disability in 2021. Depression also rose significantly, ranking as the fourth leading cause of disability.

Who was affected the most?

The study found that females, especially young adults (15-24), saw the biggest rise in depression, while anxiety spiked even in children under 10. Wealthier regions like North America, Western Europe, and Australasia reported the sharpest increases, with Latin America also affected. However, data limitations and statistical models may not fully capture the pandemic's mental health impact.

The study couldn't analyse racial or ethnic differences due to data limitations, and it only covers data through 2021, leaving long-term effects uncertain. More research is needed to see if these mental health impacts persist. The study was conducted by Yubo Liu, Yijun Ren, Chenxi Liu, and others.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.