Rome, 15 November 2023 – Today’s young people are increasingly sad, insecure and alone: the 21% of them feels anxious and to one boy out of two the future appears to be something truly dark. This is what emerges from the investigation Blue Telephonededicated to mental health of young people and carried out with the support of BVA Doxa on 800 young people between 12 and 18 years old. The survey was presented today at the conference for the International Day of Children and Adolescents
No more carefree kids
Carefree youth? A distant memory. From the Telefono Azzurro investigation it emerges that in the last two weeks only 41% of kids felt happy. 21% of young people said they felt anxious or worried, 6% sad.
Suffering among peers
Among the main sufferings that adolescents encounter among their peers is in first place addiction to the internet and social networks (52%), followed by lack of self-esteem (41%), from relational difficulties with adults (40%), anxiety and panic attacks (30%). Only 2% believe that their peers do not experience situations of suffering.
The stigma of the psychologist
In pain yes, but reluctant to ask for help from a specialist. One young person in three thinks that turning to an expert is a source of shame. Only 39% of those interviewed from Telefono Azzurro think it might be helpful to talk to a psychologist to overcome their difficulties. 22% would prefer to be able to talk about themselves anonymously using, for example, chats. Artificial intelligence, chatbots, and mental health apps are considered easily accessible for 63% of kids as well as being tools where they don’t feel judged, even if 58% fear not feeling truly listened to due to lack of empathy.
Emergency calls
In increase in calls for help to the Telefono Azzurro (19696). During 2022, the listening and consultancy center managed over 1,400 cases relating to issues relating to the mental health area, with an average of 4 cases handled per day. Even calls to Childhood Emergency service (114) are growing. Emergency cases have almost doubled in the last period: +87% compared to 2020 and +99 compared to 2018. The most fragile are adolescents, but discomfort and mental suffering are growing even among the youngest. Among the reasons for calls, 58% contact the emergency service due to psychological emotional distress, 17% suicide, 14% self-harming acts, 5% eating disorders, 4% identity, 1% neurodevelopmental disorders.
Situation of uncertainty
The current situation of uncertainty weighs heavily on the mental health of young people. Also the conflict in the Middle East is negatively affecting feelings and lived of the children: more than one young person in two remained shocked by the painful news and images of the conflict, while 35% believe they had a reaction at the beginning, but now feel used to it. But what feelings does war generate? 49% of young people underline that they very often feel anger, 59% sadness, 39% anguish. One in 5 kids very often has nightmares about attacks. 19% think about the victims of the conflict every day, 39% often and 30% sometimes.
“And are you okay with yourself?”
To help young people escape loneliness, Telefono Azzurro presented “And You, Are You Okay?”, a guide that speaks directly to young people and who responds in a concrete way to the doubts regarding the discomfort they are experiencing. “In the last year we have seen an increase in requests for help related to mental health – says Caffo -. This is why we organized this day of shared reflection. The speed of digital has radically changed the cognitive and emotional development of young people who find themselves managing, too often alone, forms of difficulty and discomfort, as well as being exposed to many risks”.
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2023-11-15 20:01:07
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