Prof Peter Fonagy, the head of an independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, has told the BBC that accusations that young people are a “snowflake generation” are wrong. He said there has been a real rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common problems.
Fonagy spoke to the BBC ahead of the report’s publication, expected later this week, because he was concerned the ADHD and autism debate would “obscure” wider mental health issues. The review was ordered nine months ago by Wes Streeting after the then-health secretary claimed young people were over-diagnosed and “written off”.
Fonagy’s Concerns
Fonagy said it is “harder to be young” now given economic and employment uncertainty, plus social media pressures. He called the environment for young people “very toxic” and said adults have “let them down”.
More than 100 experts and families with experience of mental health problems worked on the review with Fonagy, a clinical psychologist and adviser to NHS England. The review concludes the rise in mental health problems since the 1990s is real, with about one in four 16 to 24-year-olds now struggling.
Data is contested: some sources rely on self-reporting, while sceptics argue greater awareness and reduced stigma mean more people come forward. Some question whether society is over-medicalising distress, giving diagnoses when people face temporary stress they should learn to cope with.
Fonagy himself battled mental health as a teenager after moving from Hungary to London without his parents, experiencing suicidal thoughts. Therapy from a local service “saved his life”.
The Review’s Scope
The review’s findings are expected to feed into government policies on NHS services, benefits, and support for young people not in education, employment or training.
The trend affects both boys and girls, but becomes pronounced in girls from about age 12. Sexual aggression from boys is a concern, but Fonagy said societal expectations on girls and young women also play a role.
Young People Respond
The BBC spoke to young people who had struggled with mental health. One said the government should act on the report’s findings rather than ignoring them.
Omari, 22, said teachers did not listen; he attempted suicide at 15. Mattea, 17, in temporary social housing, said she feels adults have let her down and she must solve her own life.
Service Gaps
Fonagy said the NHS is “not fit for purpose”, with one in three people referred to mental health services still waiting for help after a year. He blamed youth service cuts over the past decade for fewer places for young people to mix and develop a sense of belonging.
Positive steps include the rollout of mental health teams working closely with schools.
What Comes Next
The report’s publication gives the government a clear task: action on NHS services, benefits, and support for young people not in education, employment or training. Fonagy’s personal experience — the teenager who needed therapy to survive — gives his argument extra weight.
The “snowflake generation” label is wrong, he says. The problem is real. The question is whether the government listens.
Key Facts
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Review head | Prof Peter Fonagy |
| Ordered by | Wes Streeting |
| Health secretary claim | Young people over-diagnosed and “written off” |
| Rise in distress | Real, since the 1990s |
| 16 to 24-year-olds | About one in four struggling |
| Waiting list | One in three referrals wait over a year |
| Review publication | Expected later this week |
The review’s publication gives the government a chance to respond. Fonagy has done his work. Now the adults in charge get to decide whether they have listened.
Source material: “Young people aren't snowflakes – mental distress is rising, says head of official review,” the BBC.
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