A new Australian study has shed light on the distressing delays teens face in accessing mental health care. Published this month, the study involved 375 teenagers aged 13 to 17 years, revealing that those struggling with anxiety and depression are forced to wait an average of 99.6 days to receive treatment.
The research underscores the alarming toll that these prolonged wait times take on young people. A staggering 85.2% of the teens surveyed felt that the wait times were excessively long, with nearly 40% reporting little to no support during the waiting period.
“Longer wait times were associated with increased psychological distress, and many adolescents perceived that their mental health worsened during this waiting period,” the study concluded.
Psychological Distress During the Waiting Period
Dr. Mirjana Subotic-Kerry, the study’s lead author, emphasized that the waiting period is crucial for young people, as it is during this time that many experience heightened psychological distress. Teens reported feelings of abandonment and hopelessness, with some experiencing their mental health deteriorating due to the delay in treatment.
“Young people reported a high level of psychological distress during this period,” Dr. Subotic-Kerry explained. “They felt a strong sense of abandonment and a loss of hope.”
The study found that while some teens engaged in healthy coping strategies during the wait, others turned to harmful coping mechanisms, such as increased social withdrawal and risky behaviors. Dr. Subotic-Kerry noted that improving communication from service providers—such as providing regular check-ins and timely information—could help alleviate some of the distress that young people experience while waiting for treatment.
Call for Systemic Reform in Youth Mental Health Care
Dr. Cathy Andronis, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Psychological Medicine, described the findings as “sadly normal,” highlighting that the situation continues to worsen. She expressed deep concern over the lack of timely intervention, especially considering adolescence is a critical time for mental health issues to be addressed.
“Youth mental health care is dire, despite adolescence being a critical time for mental illness presentation where the need for early intervention is potentially lifesaving,” Dr. Andronis said. “We are doing the opposite of what is ethically, socially, and economically responsible by ignoring young people who could bounce back into healthy lifestyles with timely intervention.”
Dr. Andronis also pointed out the financial barriers adolescents face in accessing care, as they are often not financially independent and cannot afford private mental health services. She stressed that the broken public psychiatric system leaves GPs as the only other affordable and accessible option, but GPs are constrained by a system that prioritizes quantity over quality.
“GPs are able to manage a lot of this youth mental health challenge, but they are hampered by a system that favours quantity over quality,” Dr. Andronis explained. “To support GPs, we need more affordable mentorship, subsidized training, and financial incentives.”
The Need for Urgent Action
Professor Bridianne O’Dea, the study’s lead researcher, echoed the call for urgent systemic reform. She noted that the demand for youth mental health care has rapidly increased in the past two decades, but the number of clinicians available to meet this demand has not kept pace.
“We are now in the midst of a crisis,” Professor O’Dea said. “The demand for youth mental health care has increased rapidly, and we do not have the number of clinicians required to meet that demand.”
The study’s findings make it clear that youth mental health care requires immediate attention and reform. There is an urgent need for increased resources, better access to services, and a holistic approach to addressing the complex mental health needs of young people in today’s society.
Moving Forward
To address these issues, experts are advocating for increased funding and resources for youth mental health services, better integration of services across sectors, and more comprehensive care plans that cater to the unique needs of adolescents. Only through systemic reform can we ensure that young people receive the care they need when they need it most.
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