For the past 10 years, there has been an uprising in conversations about mental health. Radio shows, television programmes, books; they all discuss mental health in the modern world and it’s impact on society. However, even with this, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding this topic.

I heard on the radio recently that individuals in their 20’s are now more likely to face ill-mental health than individuals in their 40’s. It’s an outstanding realisation, but I’m not sure why anybody is surprised.

Mental health is very much still stigmatised, and these points offer some insight into why:

1. There is added pressure to young individuals who are expected to self-provide.
2. Minimum wage neglects to reflect inflation and rising housing costs.
3. Individuals are expected to balance a million things and take it on the chin. With schedules like these, how can we expect people to live contently? Answer: We can’t.

Young people today live in a very different society to those who were in their position 20 years ago. These days, young people are expected to balance both study and work, leave home by 18, and buy their first house when working on minimum wage, and with house costs are constantly rising. It’s all just a little bit impossible.

Let’s really think about this for a second.

What support is in place for these young adults?

Who can they turn to for advice, monetary support, or 5 minutes of peace?

Society is so set on normalising mental health issues and destigmatising the topic, but takes minimal steps to actually help those that need it (in this case, young adults).

So, to answer the above:

1. There is little support in place for them. They can turn to employers or educational leads for leeway, but their studies and employment won’t wait for them.
2. There is no where near enough marketing towards individuals who may be struggling. Could I tell you any numbers or websites to ask for help off the top of my head? No.
3. Monetary support? If they’re lucky, family members may be able to assist them, but the alternative is government aid. So how can these people reach out for help when benefits are still stigmatised, and people on benefits are often stereotyped and judged?

There is not enough societal support in place for young individuals to live up to the expectations put in place for them.

The added pressure of having no one to turn to contributes significantly to the rising mental health conditions faced by this demographic.

We need to do better as a society, and we need to hold those in charge accountable.

The stigma around mental health will persist until measures are put in place for service-users to access.

I’d like to hear your side of this – what are your thoughts on this topic?