The need for urgent, accessible and tailored digital mental health support services has never been greater, our new report delving into six years of unparalleled data insights into the mental health of children and young people has revealed.
‘The Mix’s Helpline’ report draws on six years of its helpline data (2018 - 2023) to uncover crucial trends and insights into young people’s mental health. The report highlights the transformational impact of The Mix’s Helpline, which has provided vital support to young people and children with a range of issues such as loneliness, anxiety and depression, bullying, relationship and family issues and more, based on age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and disability. Against a backdrop of unprecedented challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, the findings reveal the imperative need for accessible and free digital support services for mental health and wellbeing.
“I was feeling really depressed and suicidal, the reason was because I was getting bullied so I came here and ever since I’ve been stronger.” - Helpline user
Alarmingly, the findings reveal that as young people grow older, discussions about suicide increase across all related topics, including suicidal ideation, thoughts of suicide with intent to act and disclosures of previous suicide attempts. What’s more, those who are disabled are more likely to discuss suicide and self-harm than their non-disabled peers, further underpinning how crucial early intervention services are for addressing these issues before they increase in severity.
The report findings will inform the development of a new peer-led support service, providing young people and children with access to a range of tools and services in the format they need, and reaching more people from marginalised backgrounds as we continue our mission of improving the mental health of the UK population.
As mental health challenges among young people continue to adapt and evolve, it is more crucial than ever to sustain and expand services such as The Mix and Shout, which are responding to an unmet need in the demand for mental health support services for the next generation.
The Mix's Helpline: key trends and insights from 2018 to 2023
Our latest report reveals key trends and insights from six years of data into young people's mental health, highlighting the crucial need for early intervention and digital mental health support.
