A pivotal time in a person’s life often comes in their 30s when they reflect on their opportunities, priorities, and future. The needs of people in their 20s and 30s are frequently hindered by obstacles such as the housing crisis, high cost of living, reproduction concerns, health issues, career stress and climate justice. For those in this age bracket, there is evidence to suggest this cohort of adults may be the first generation to be worse off than their parents. The everyday struggles they now face have a significant impact on their mental health.
“All evidence suggests that those in their 20s and 30s are in a critical stage in life for improving and maintaining mental health,” says Kevin O’Driscoll, from the National Youth Health Programme, which is a partnership between the National Youth Council of Ireland, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. “This period is marked with a myriad of significant life transitions, including education, entering the workforce, establishing and maintaining relationships and leaving the family home. Mental health is affected by a wide variety of issues and circumstances meaning it can not be addressed with one ‘quick fix’. It requires a multifaceted and multidepartmental approach from government and society.”
Cliona (26) believes young adult mental health has been affected more than ever before. “Young people have so much access to news and what’s happening around them that it’s impossible to be insulated against it.”
News has become more readily available with constant alerts, fake news included, and social media platforms consistently alerting users with targeted headlines. The draw of social media platforms complicates an already difficult digital relationship as this generation was quickly consumed by the internet age and digital revolution.
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“We’re constantly being primed by these political, economic, and societal events that are happening outside our world, primarily through the news media,” says Cliona. “Having more access to information, in general, is impossible to escape, and that can really have an effect on young people who are already stressed about school, about finding out who they are, about friends. There’s so many things and facets of being a young person. It can be difficult, but I think more so than ever. All these external factors are really contributing to our mental health journey.”
Cliona feels the situation is worsening with a lack of safe spaces to openly talk about concerns affecting a person’s mental state. “It’s why organisations like Jigsaw are so imperative,” she says. “They give young people a safe space where they can speak about how they feel, learn coping mechanisms, and start to think about their mental health as something they need to look after, but also that it’s normal.”
With the stigma around mental health still existing in Ireland, Cliona feels that for her parents’ and grandparents’ generations, mental health was never something that was openly discussed. “The cultural approach to mental health ... is obviously something that can worsen your mental health,” says Cliona who plays a part in opening the discussion as an advocate for the youth mental health organisation Jigsaw, facilitating talks in schools and with young adults. “I think what is so important about mental health is allowing young people to feel like they have those safe people they can talk to.”
“Any approach to improving the mental health of those in their 20s and 30s will need to include a variety of promotion, prevention and intervention initiatives,” says O’Driscoll. These initiatives, he explains, advocate for accessible and equitable mental health services — including expanding access to therapeutic services, increasing funding for mental health services, making them more affordable through the health system, and expanding the provision of services online. Private therapy can be cost-prohibitive for individuals.
“As has been well reported and publicised, the mental health services in Ireland are severely stretched and under pressure,” says O’Driscoll. “Long waiting lists and delayed intervention have led to a large number of community-based and youth-work organisations taking up the baton and being proactive around mental health. These organisations run a wide variety of programmes and initiatives designed to promote positive mental health and wellbeing and to prevent the development of mental health issues and illness. These are delivered to support individuals, families and communities to develop the resilience and coping skills to deal with the ups and downs life throws at us.”
O’Driscoll explores this by emphasising the importance of workplace mental health programmes, educational campaigns, community-based support, addressing socio-economic factors, supporting digital wellbeing, recognising cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness, crisis intervention, and policy advocacy. Making initiatives such as mental health days and employee assistance programmes the norm in a workforce provides flexibility for those dealing with mental health issues.
“Stigma and embarrassment still play a significant role in reluctance to seek help,” says O’Driscoll. “Third-level institutes, and particularly student unions, are well placed to deliver campaigns with adequate resources.”
Additionally, O’Driscoll sees the opportunity to support community organisations, community centres, family resource centres, and youth work organisations through funding and resources as they all play “a vital role in promoting and improving the mental health” of our communities.
“One of the major stressors and issues for this age cohort in 2024 is affordable housing,” says O’Driscoll. “This feels unattainable for many, so it should be a priority policy area. And, increasingly, this age group struggles with managing debt due to issues such as high student loans, high rents and other financial obligations. Financial stability is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Putting in place supports and policies to make this a reality for more people will impact mental health positively.”
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Cliona wonders if she hadn’t been involved with an organisation involved in youth mental health from a young age, would she have struggled more and if she was struggling where would she have turned? “Knowing that there was always someone there, not even someone, but an organisation I knew I could turn to, seek support if I needed it, always made me feel like I had an option.”
“For those struggling with their mental health and in need of a therapeutic intervention, community and youth work organisations offer a low-cost intervention in many cases,” advises O’Driscoll. “In 2024, the National Youth Health Programme launched the Mental Health Sign-Posting Tool. This online information tool was designed to capture and distil all the valuable work being done in the sector and make it easily accessible for those seeking help. The signposting tool has the details of all the services, initiatives and programmes developed and delivered in response to a myriad of mental health issues in one place.
“It is an aid to an individual seeking support, family members looking to help loved ones and professionals seeking additional services at both a local and national level.”
Generational health
- Part 1: Youth mental health
