Adolescent Emergency: How Are Our Young People Doing?

Worldwide, over one billion people suffer from mental disorders, particularly anxietyAnxiety is an emotional response characterized by feelings o... More (affecting 4.4% of the population) and depressionDepression is a disorder characterized by persistent sadness... More (4%). Psychological distress strongly affects young people: 1 in 7 adolescents suffers from it. More than 740,000 people lose their lives each year due to suicide, which is the leading cause of death among young Europeans aged 15 to 29. The growing mental healthWhat is meant by mental health? According to the World Healt... More crisis requires targeted policies and investments, as well as active participation from the entire community, to protect global healthWhat is the definition of health proposed by the WHO in 1948... More, which is not simply the absence of illness but a complete state of physical, psychological, social, and existential well-being.

How Young People Are Doing

Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that one in seven (14.3%) young people aged 10 to 19 suffer from mental health problems, which largely remain undiagnosed and untreated. The WHO warns of the significant risk of inadequate or absent treatment of psychological distress, which can lead to serious problems even in adulthood.

Furthermore, preventing and treating psychological suffering contributes to suicide prevention, which remains a global health priority: suicide**Suicide can be defined as “the deliberate act of ending ... More continues to be the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29 in the European Union, and according to the MUSA research group at Cnr-Irpps, 44.9% of Italian adolescents have experienced suicidal thoughts at least once.

The Situation in Europe: WHO Report

The World Health Organization report Child and youth mental health in the WHO European Region: status and actions to strengthen the quality of care (2025) examines the mental health of children and adolescents in European countries. 

The data show that one in seven children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 lives with a mental health problem, with a prevalence that has increased over time and is highest among girls aged 15 to 19: one in four suffers from a psychological issue.

The report highlights that everyday environments such as schools and online spaces do not adequately support the mental health of children and adolescents, with one in five European countries lacking adequate support policies and one in four offering insufficient services. 

The Shadow of Bullying

Among adolescents, forms of violence and bullying are a major concern, seriously threatening young people’s mental health. According to the 2023 Istat survey “Children and Young People: Behaviors, Attitudes, and Future Plans,” 68.5% of young people aged 11 to 19 report having experienced some form of violence or offensive or aggressive behavior in the previous 12 months.

CyberbullyingCyberbullying is the enactment via the internet of behaviors... More often accompanies offline bullyingAlthough there is no universally agreed-upon definition of b... More: 30.1% reported experiencing both online and offline abusive or violent acts. Indirect forms of bullying also impact young people’s mental health: 43% of adolescents felt excluded or marginalized and 25% were victims of defamation.

Addiction Alarm, Also in Italy

The Italian Society for AddictionDrug addictions are not simply personal “vices,” but gen... More Pathologies (Sipad) issues a warning about addictions in our country, dangerously widespread among young people: 910,000 young people, or 25% of GenZ, regularly “get high.”

The number of psychoactive substances is increasing, with 79 new substances identified this year and over 160,000 Italian students aged 15 to 19 considered poly-drug users, having used at least two illegal psychoactive substances.

The consequences of substance abuse on health are severe. The WHO and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) estimate that each year, substance use causes 600,000 preventable deaths (from overdoses, related illnesses, accidents, and suicides). In Italy, in 2024, of the 8,378 emergency room admissions for drug-related conditions, 43% involved people aged 25 to 44 and 10% were minors.

Digital Health: European Council Recommendations

The Council of the European Union emphasizes the importance of a safe and healthy digital environment for adolescents’ health, promoting proper use of new technologies. The Council encourages raising awareness among adults, parents, and educators for a gradual introduction to digital tools at an appropriate age, accompanied by campaigns for media and digital literacy to help adolescents face the threats of misinformation and cyberbullying.

Although technology offers important opportunities for social connection, access to information, and even online therapies, the Council reminds of the risks of excessive time spent online, exposure to age-inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and access to drugs and gambling. In Italy, gambling is particularly widespread, with 62% of students aged 15 to 19 having gambled at least once in their life and 57% in the last year.

The Role of Education and Lifestyle

Statistical data show that perception of overall health depends on various factors, including socioeconomic ones: in Europe, only 86.7% of young people from low-income households feel in good health, compared to 94% from high-income households. The data highlight the fundamental role of education as prevention and a health tool, able to open doors to full personal development and psychosocial well-being“Health is not a feeling, but a being there, a being in th... More.

On the other hand, healthy lifestyles, for both body and mind, must remain a priority, considering the incidence of chronic diseases among young people, such as cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, or diabetes, affecting 16.3% of young Europeans aged 16 to 29. The World Health Organization reminds that chronic diseases are the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide.

Empowering Resources with Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti

In a challenging context, where risks to adolescent mental health run offline and online, it is essential to invest in education and strengthening internal resources – emotional, cognitive, and relational – to navigate life’s challenges effectively. Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti invests in specific psycho-pedagogical programs to train internal resources in families and classrooms, such as Prefigurare il Futuro, delivered in Italian high schools.

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Foundation published the “Adolescence Observatory: results, voices, and perspectives for educating Global Health”, by Patrizio Paoletti and Tania Di Giuseppe, which captures the state of psychophysical well-being of Italian adolescents, offering concrete tools to promote global health through awareness and resilience.

Supporting Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti allows you to contribute to neuro-psychopedagogical research and the dissemination of integrated programs, making a difference in the lives of thousands of girls, boys, and their families, participating in building a healthier, happier, and more resilient society.