Young people, particularly adolescents and young adults (around 16-24 years old), have the highest rates of mental health problems, with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders being most common, and over half of young females and a significant portion of young males experiencing a mental disorder in a 12-month period. This age group sees the onset of most mental illnesses, with 75% of severe conditions appearing before age 25, making early intervention crucial.
Stress, anxiety and feeling down can affect anyone, and happens to a lot of us at some point in our lives. Over 75% of mental health issues occur before the age of 25, while suicide continues to cause the largest loss of life of young people in Australia.
Although less data exist for non‐affective psychosis, available evidence suggests that median AOO is in the range late teens through early 20s. Roughly half of all lifetime mental disorders in most studies start by the mid‐teens and three‐fourths by the mid‐20s.
One in five Australian adults experience a mental illness every year. About 45 per cent of Australian adults will be affected by mental illness at some time in their life. Anxiety, mood disorders (such as depression) and substance use disorders are the most common mental illnesses experienced by Australian adults.
Depression prevalence varies by age, and the total percentage of adults with depression is the highest among those aged 18–29 years old (Villarroel and Terlizzi, 2020).
Research suggests that people are the most unhappy at the age of 47.2 -- exactly how old I am today – before hitting a decades-long upswing.
Major life changes can cause stress. Illness, accidents, bullying or abuse can have a huge effect on stress levels. Family changes, such as divorce or the death of a loved one, can also cause stress as teens try to work out how to express their feelings.
Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men. However, men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. While major depression can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.
As people age, they may experience certain life changes that impact their mental health, such as coping with a serious illness or losing a loved one. Although many people will adjust to these life changes, some may experience feelings of grief, social isolation, or loneliness.
The top issues for Australian youth today center around severe financial stress (cost of living, housing), significant mental health challenges (anxiety, isolation), and deep concerns about climate change, with violence/safety also rising, according to recent major surveys. These issues profoundly impact their daily lives, affecting well-being and future prospects, despite resilience and hope for change.
Younger people are more likely to have some form of anxiety:
In 2021, those aged 16 to 29 years were most likely to have some form of anxiety (28% likely) This decreased steadily through the age groups, and the least likely group was those aged 70 and over (5% likely)
The 5 C's of Mental Health provide a framework for well-being, often cited as Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring, focusing on feeling capable, believing in oneself, nurturing relationships, living by values, and showing empathy. While some variations exist, like adding Compassion, Coping, or Community, the core idea is building resilience through personal growth and strong relationships, helping individuals manage challenges and thrive.
50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
Consistent with this, laboratory-based studies of age differences in risk behavior allude to a peak in adolescence, suggesting that adolescents demonstrate a heightened propensity, or inherent inclination, to take risks.
A simple framework to intuitively understand what may constitute a mental illness is the 5Ds. Deviation, Duration, Distress, Dysfunction, and Danger.
Which mental disorders have the earliest onset?
Starting in your 60s, you may notice normal cognitive aging when your brain's processing speed slows down. You may not readily recall the name of a childhood friend or forget where you parked the car. You might take longer to calculate a restaurant tip in your head.
Women. Women are more likely to experience common mental health problems than men. Nearly 1 in 4 women (24%) experience a common mental health problem in any given week, compared to nearly 1 in 7 men (15%) [2]. People experiencing poverty.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): One of the most common mental disorders, GAD is characterized by excessive worry about issues and situations that individuals experience every day. Any worrying that is out of proportion to the reality of the situation may fall under this disorder.
Although most people are resilient, people who are exposed to adverse circumstances – including poverty, violence, disability, and inequality – are at higher risk. Protective and risk factors include individual psychological and biological factors, such as emotional skills as well as genetics.
There's no single "hardest" age, but many parents and experts point to ages 14-16 as particularly challenging due to intense hormonal shifts, social pressures, identity formation, increased desire for independence, and conflicts with parents as teens push boundaries, with some studies suggesting 14 (especially for girls) and 15 (for boys) are peak difficulty points.
Many adults assume that children with high levels of anxiety will outgrow the problem, but it's somewhat the opposite, says Wendy Silverman, PhD, director of the Yale Medicine Child Study Center's Anxiety & Mood Disorders Program.
Other causes of stress include: