World Mental Health Day: A new report suggests young people are lonelier than ever
Over half of people who've reached out to a mental health group in Yorkshire and the Humber are under 25
Last updated 10th Oct 2023
We're hearing more young adults in Yorkshire and the Humber are seeking mental health support than any other age group.
A report by the charity Mental Health Innovations, comprising of data from conversations with 680,000 people who contacted its Shout text support service, highlights loneliness as a major issue amongst younger generations.
Two-thirds of those who identified as being lonely – or over 70,000 people – were under the age of 25, with teenagers (14-17s) making up a quarter of this figure, while 9% were under the age of 13.
In Yorkshire and the Humber, 60,933 people contacted the Shout support service, and 10,054 cited loneliness as an issue of which 5,731 were under 25-years-old (57%).
Last month we spoke to Sophie Ranson, who was launching a mental health support group in Gildersome, Leeds, monthly.
We caught up with Sophie, who said due to demand, her group, Women's Wellbeing Club UK has changed to fortnightly and moved to Pudsey as it's more accessible for people across the city.
Sophie said "I actually get a lot of messages from those who are under 25, who really want to come, but they feel so anxious about attending and that's down to the perception and stigma around mental health. But I want everybody to know that they are welcome at my group with no judgement, just a friendly ear."
For more information on Sophie's Women's Wellbeing Club UK click here
For more information on Shout Support Services, that anyone can access, click here