Overall, one in five adults in England report having a common mental health condition, like anxiety or depression, according to a survey published by NHS England. Rates are even higher in young people. For 16-24 year olds, it’s one-in-four.
The GPs who took part in our research identified 19-34 year olds as the age group who needed the most support with mental health issues.
One commented that young adults “seem to be less resilient since Covid”, suggesting they’re more concerned with getting a diagnosis than finding coping strategies.
But other GPs said the real issue was under-diagnosis.
“People need to be accepted, helped and encouraged to live life,” one said, while another said services were very reluctant “to fully assess and diagnose” patients.