Young people pessimistic about their mental health; Health services concerned

Only half of young adults in the Netherlands rate their mental health as good, according to the Health Monitor Young Adults 2024 by the RIVM and GGD GHOR Nederland. Despite a slight improvement in certain areas in the past two years, the mental health of this group remains a concern and requires attention, the health services said.

The health services surveyed 135,000 16 to 25-year-olds about their mental health. 51 percent rated their mental health as good, 35 percent said moderate, and 14 percent said bad or very bad.

Mental health issues are most prevalent in the 21 to 25 age group, among young people who struggle to make ends meet, and young people living alone. There are also some regional differences.

Over 40 percent of young adults often feel stressed, mostly due to their studies, school, or jobs. Over half experience performance pressure. They also worry about social issues like the housing shortage and rising prices. “Less than half of young adults have a lot of confidence in their future, 15 percent have little to no confidence in this,” the researchers said.

The researchers did note some slight improvements compared to 2022. The share of young adults who often feel limited in their daily lives due to mental health problems fell from almost 25 percent to almost 20 percent. Those who feel lonely dropped from 27 to 23 percent. And young people who felt happy often in the four weeks preceding the survey increased from half to two-thirds. “These figures give hope, and at the same time show that national and local politics need to continue to focus on the mental health of young residents,” said GGD GHOR Nederland director Andre Rouvoet.

The health services also noted that the coronavirus pandemic still impacts young people’s lives even two years after the last lockdowns. Almost two-thirds still experience negative consequences, especially when it comes to their mental health, personal development study progress, and making and maintaining friendships. Almost half said they still experience positive consequences, particularly on their own development.