Are young people ‘snowflakes’ or is mental distress on the rise?: Points of View

An independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, conducted by Professor Peter Fonagy, has found that there has been a real rise in mental distress amongst the younger generation, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common challenges facing our young people. The review came as a result of a claim by then-health secretary Wes Streeting that young people were over-diagnosed and "written off". Last year, a BBC report found many GPs also had concerns about over-diagnosis, with the view that normal life stresses were becoming medicalised. Professor Fonagy, a clinical psychologist and adviser to NHS England, has spoken to the BBC ahead of the publication of the review, which concludes that around one in four 16-24 year olds now struggle with their mental health, and NHS figures show the number of young people having contact with mental health services has increased by 50% in the last five years. The debate, however, is still fierce. Are we facing a real terms mental distress crisis? Are we more aware of our mental health and therefore seeking help earlier? Is the expectation of resilience an outdated concept? Join Maud Waret, Michael Wright, Ollie Bayliss and Liz Webb live at 8 pm tonight to share your views.