A new study in Australia found that almost half of all young women in the country suffered from anxiety, depression or substance abuse disorder last financial year. For males in the same age range (16-24), it was about one in three. The study also found that almost 45% of people who identify as LGBTQ+ had an anxiety disorder.

This is the first national study of its kind in more than a decade. Data was collected during the Covid-19 pandemic, from December 2020 to July 2021. The levels of distress in young people, particularly anxiety, were “puzzling people around the world” even before Covid, said Dr Ruth Vine, the federal government’s deputy chief medical officer for mental health. “It’s something happening in many countries at the moment,” she said. “And it’s clearly a major concern for mental health reform and service planning.”

The 2021 census data, released last month, found that over 2.2 million people in Australia suffer from long-term mental health issues. Young people were found to be suffering the most from “psychological distress,” at more than twice the rate of those aged 65 to 85. A study from the Australian National University also found that young people lost more life satisfaction than any other age group during the pandemic.

It is also important to add a human perspective, said Mindframe’s Dr Elizabeth Paton, and to listen to people living with mental health disorders. “It can help to understand what these experiences are actually like in real life,” she said. “And compared to just numbers, that can help our communities actually understand what mental illness is like and to help reduce stigma.”

Image from ABC