{"id":454104,"date":"2026-02-02T18:39:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/454104\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T18:39:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:39:31","slug":"nearly-39-of-youth-aged-10-24-suffer-mental-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/454104\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 39% of youth aged 10\u201324 suffer mental stress"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nearly 39% of Sri Lanka\u2019s youth aged between 10 and 24 suffer from mental stress, the head of the country\u2019s leading mental health institution said on Monday (26).<\/p>\n

Dr. Dhammika Alahapperuma, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, disclosed the figures at a special media briefing held at the institute in Mulleriyawa to mark its centenary.<\/p>\n

Mental illness is a growing public health concern in Sri Lanka and affects people across all age groups, Alahapperuma noted. About 13% of the country\u2019s population experiences mental health problems, with nearly 3% suffering from severe conditions that interfere with daily activities.<\/p>\n

He pointed out that nearly one in five Sri Lankans, or about 19%, live with depression, describing suicide as a major issue both nationally and globally.<\/p>\n

Among young people, about 20% experience distress linked to loneliness, 18% show persistent symptoms of depression and around 15% have seriously considered suicide. Nearly 10% have attempted suicide, with girls especially affected.<\/p>\n

Dr Alahapperuma stressed that promoting mental well-being, identifying conditions early and ensuring easier access to treatment are essential to safeguarding the mental health of the population.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka has made notable progress in strengthening mental health services by upgrading specialized hospitals, expanding community-based care and integrating mental health services into primary health care, he added. (Newswire)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t