Over half of the young Dutch aged 16-25 are dealing with mental health issues, of which many struggle with suicidal thoughts and loneliness, a survey recently published by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) shows.
The survey, which had about 70,000 participants via social media and offline from April to August 2022, contained questions regarding mental health, including the consumption of alcohol and drugs, suicidal thoughts and the impact of the pandemic.
“The results of this survey show that more action is really needed,” said Ton Coenen, director of GGD GHOR, a public health advocacy group, according to NOS.
Though the survey found that while women and urban youth grapple the most with mental health issues, complaints are mostly mild.
Loneliness was experienced among two-thirds of young adults, while about half reported having occasional or frequent suicidal thoughts, and two-thirds said they needed psychological help and support during the pandemic.
“As a result, two in five young adults with mental health complaints frequently feel continuously limited in daily life during and after the corona period”, the RIVM stated.
Depression in Europe, especially among young people, has been rising recently, according to the annual “Health at a Glance” report by the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published in December.
(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
