Young Adults with Mental Health Conditions Struggle to Get Help

Young people with mental health conditions struggle to get help as they transition from the teen years to adulthood. Young adults are often unprepared to navigate mental health care, including finding a therapist, making appointments, filling prescriptions and paying for treatment, STAT reports.

The article notes that young adults ages 18 to 25 are more likely than any other adult age group to report having major depression in the past year, and the least likely to have received treatment.

“We’re missing out on this major opportunity to support young people while mental health distress is emerging,” said Christine Moutier, a psychiatrist and the Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the problem by interfering with the way in which mental health care is delivered, and by creating conditions that could worsen existing mental health issues or create new ones, the article notes.