LONDON: A major multinational research initiative has reported sustained and troubling increases in depression and anxiety disorders among adolescents worldwide, years after the pandemic disrupted social structures and education systems.
The study identifies prolonged social isolation, excessive digital exposure, household economic strain, and academic pressures as continuing stressors affecting youth mental health. Researchers caution that the psychological aftershocks of the pandemic are proving more durable than initially anticipated.
In Pakistan and across South Asia, where mental health services remain chronically underfunded, experts warn that adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to stigma, limited school-based counseling systems, and a shortage of trained child psychologists. Policy specialists are urging governments to integrate mental health screening into school systems and strengthen primary healthcare frameworks to ensure early intervention.
