NEW RESEARCH SHOWS MAJORITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL THEIR FRIENDS ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

This World Mental Health Day (Tuesday 10th October 2023) new research from The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales shows that around 6 in 10 16-24 year olds think it’s very important for young people to have greater awareness and understanding of social and emotional skills, with nearly 40% feeling that they don’t manage their emotions very well currently, as 95% say they think their peers are having some sort of problem with their mental health.

The findings come as The Prince and Princess of Wales, together with The Royal Foundation, are set to host a forum on mental health for young people in Birmingham later today. Exploring our Emotional Worlds will bring together 100 young people aged 16-24 for an important conversation about how they manage their emotions and how they can be supported to build their resilience.

The survey from 3,000 young people across the UK also found:

• Six in ten (59%) 16-24 years old think it’s very important for young people to have greater awareness and understanding of social and emotional skills
• Four in ten (39%) 16–24-year-olds feel that they don’t manage their emotions very well
• Around two-thirds (65%) of 16-24 year olds say their mental health is very important to them

In 2016 Their Royal Highnesses, together with The Royal Foundation and charity partners, spearheaded Heads Together, a ground-breaking campaign that challenged the stigma around mental health and encouraged more people to have conversations about their mental health. Significant progress has been made on increasing awareness about the importance of mental health, but this in turn has brought into sharp focus the need to focus on how we talk about mental health, especially in relation to understanding and managing our own emotions as we seek to lay stronger foundations as we go through life.

Research has shown just how essential our social and emotional skills are for developing the kinds of positive relationships with those around us that boost our own resilience and, in turn, that of others.