Mental health disorders among children and adolescents are rising at an alarming rate across Europe, with Greece facing some of the highest rates, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and national health data.
Dr. Joao Breda, head of the WHO’s Office of Quality Care and Patient Safety in Athens, said in an interview with the Athens News Agency that “one in four adolescents aged 15-19 years” in Greece lives with a mental health condition. He emphasized the urgent need to improve access to high-quality mental health services for young people.
According to Breda, suicide is now the leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 29 in the WHO European Region. “The data are alarming,” he said, citing a forthcoming WHO report based on data collected over the past decade. Across Europe, one in five adolescents aged 15-19 reportedly suffers from a mental health condition, and rates have been steadily rising.
In Greece, the number of suicides of all ages rose to 469 in 2023, up from 451 the previous year, as reported by Klimaka-Center for Suicide Prevention, an Athens-based NGO. Despite having one of the lowest suicide rates in the EU—approximately five to six deaths per 100,000 residents—mental health professionals warn that underreporting and a lack of national tracking obscure the true scope of the issue.
Greece has not yet implemented a National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention, which is required under EU guidelines. The country also lacks a system for documenting suicide attempts resulting in hospitalization.
Dr. Breda cited multiple causes behind the worsening mental health of young people, including the climate crisis, geopolitical instability, and unregulated digital environments. “We are faced with a twofold problem,” he said. “Young people are experiencing increased and often unprecedented pressures, while the mental health system is failing to respond with quality care that is accessible and adapted to their needs.”
At the World Congress of Psychiatry, international experts linked the increase in mental health disorders among youth to the internet and overexposure to social media. Half of all adult mental health disorders begin between the ages of 14 and 16, according to data presented at the event.
Psychiatry professor Antonios Dakanalis told To Vima International Edition that “an entire generation is growing up with the motto: If it’s not worth sharing, it’s not worth anything at all.” He warned that social media “likes” have become a form of digital currency, especially among teens, influencing self-worth and behavior.
According to studies cited by Dakanalis, social media use is especially damaging to mentally vulnerable girls and is linked to depression, body image issues, and social dysfunction. Extended exposure has also been associated with ADHD, delayed language development, and metabolic disorders.
The Greek government plans to limit or even prohibit internet use for minors up to at least the age of 15.
However experts have suggested a holistic approach that involves improved numbers of and training for school psychologists, and coordinated systems that enable educators to collaborate with families in supporting and referring children to mental health services.
“Every child and adolescent in need of support should be able to get it—no matter where they live,” Breda told the Athens News Agency.
