Stigma And Young People Key Facts

• One in ten young people have mental health problems that are severe enough to require professional help
• 20% of children have a mental health problem in any given year
• 70- 80% of people who experience mental health problems will recover
• Rates of mental health problems among children increase as they reach adolescence
• Being there for a young person in trouble can make all the difference, whether you are a teacher, a friend, or a parent.

Types of mental health problem²

The term “mental health problem” (or mental ill-health) is used to describe to a wide range of symptoms and experiences. These are things like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia, self-harm and manic depression. People are not born with mental health problems. The problems can develop at any time and each person’s experience is individual to him or her. They can last anything from several weeks to a lifetime.

Attitudes of young Scots to mental health problems³

• 40% of children would not want anyone to know if they had a mental health problem
• One in five young people say they would find it hard to talk to another young person with mental health problems
• 1 in 4 young people think that someone with a mental health problem is less likely to have friends
• If a friend said they were feeling down, 32% would not know what to do
• One in ten young people thought that someone who hears voices should be locked up in a psychiatric hospital

Experience of young people with mental health problems.⁴

• Young people with mental health problems are less likely to have friends
• Young people with mental health problems are more likely to be ignored by other people
• Young people with mental health problems are more likely to be bullied