Global Mental Health by Sabine Bährer-Kohler & Francisco Javier Carod-Artal

Author:Sabine Bährer-Kohler & Francisco Javier Carod-Artal
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

11.1.2 Mental Health and Young People

A focus on wellbeing must not ignore the reality of the serious mental health problems, which so mar human life. In 2007, The Lancet Series on Global Mental Health drew together leading experts around the world to highlight the extent of mental health needs and the gaps in mental health services worldwide, and to formulate a clear call to action (Lancet 2007). The linked papers in the series concluded that globally mental health problems, such as depression , anxiety, bipolar affective disorders, alcohol and substance abuse , self-inflicted injuries, suicide , schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, form a ‘hidden epidemic’ and “a substantial proportion of the world’s disease burden” including for the young. They suggested that such disorders are “deeply stigmatised across our societies” and “often neglected, especially in low and middle-income countries, many of which have no resources to tackle mental health concerns” (Lancet 2007). Most mental disorders in the adult population begin between 12–24 years of age (Hagell et al. 2013), so it is vital to take a preventive attitude and look to all agencies, to act, particularly schools which are found in all parts of the world, including those with low levels of mental health service.

Getting an overview of the epidemiology of the mental health problems worldwide is tricky as research is almost non-existent in some countries, and there is no internationally agreed benchmark. An overview paper in the Lancet series by Patel et al. (2007) found national estimates of mental disorders ranged from 8%, in the Netherlands, 14% in Australia to 57% in San Diego, California, USA. The authors concluded that overall, in developed countries, at least, one out of every four to five young people in the general population will suffer from at least one mental disorder in any given year. They were unable to give any clear picture for developing countries, due to lack of data.

Low levels of wellbeing and mental health disorders underlie many of the social and educational problems young people experience across the world, including anti-social behaviour, crime and violence , educational failure and substance abuse (Catalano et al. 2002). Addressing young people’s mental health needs is crucial if they are to fulfil their potential and contribute fully to the development of their communities. Given the massive shortfall between need and provision, the school has a vital potential role to play in all countries and circumstances in bridging this gap .

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