Anxiety Named Most Prevalent Mental Health Difficulty for Irish Secondary School Students in New Survey
Anxiety has been identified as the most prevalent mental health difficulty among secondary school students in Ireland, according to a new survey whose findings have prompted renewed calls for increased investment in school-based mental health supports and a fundamental review of how the education system addresses the psychological wellbeing of young people, as waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services remain at crisis levels across the country.
Background
The mental health of young people in Ireland has been a growing concern for policymakers, educators, and health professionals for more than a decade. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental health difficulties among adolescents has increased significantly since the pandemic, and the capacity of the health system to respond to that increase has not kept pace with the demand. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services — the primary public mental health service for young people — have been chronically under-resourced, with waiting times in some areas extending to more than a year for an initial assessment.
The school system has increasingly been called upon to fill the gap left by inadequate CAMHS capacity, with guidance counsellors, school psychologists, and teachers taking on mental health support roles that go well beyond their traditional remit. The National Educational Psychological Service, which provides psychological support to schools, has been operating at full capacity for several years, and the demand for its services continues to grow.
The new survey, which was conducted among a representative sample of secondary school students across Ireland, provides the most comprehensive picture to date of the mental health challenges facing young people in the education system. Its findings are consistent with international research that has identified anxiety as the most common mental health difficulty among adolescents in developed countries, but the scale of the problem in Ireland — and the inadequacy of the current response — is striking.
Key Developments
The survey found that anxiety is the most prevalent mental health difficulty reported by secondary school students, with a significant proportion of respondents describing symptoms that meet the clinical threshold for an anxiety disorder. The findings also identified depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and eating disorders as significant concerns, with rates of all these conditions higher than those recorded in comparable surveys conducted before the pandemic.
The Irish Times reported that the survey's findings have been shared with the Department of Health and the Department of Education, and that both departments are reviewing the implications for policy. The government is expected to publish a new national mental health strategy before the end of the year, and the survey's findings are expected to inform the strategy's priorities.
The National Parents Council has called for an immediate increase in the number of school counsellors and psychologists, noting that the current ratio of counsellors to students is far below the levels recommended by international bodies. The Irish Second-Level Students' Union has also responded to the survey, calling for a fundamental review of the school day and the examination system, which many students identify as significant sources of anxiety.
CAMHS waiting times remain a critical issue. In some HSE community healthcare organisations, the waiting time for an initial CAMHS assessment exceeds twelve months, meaning that young people who are identified as needing specialist mental health support may wait more than a year before receiving it. The survey's findings add urgency to calls for a significant increase in CAMHS capacity, including the recruitment of additional psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals.
Why It Matters
The mental health of young people is not merely a health issue — it is an educational, social, and economic issue with long-term consequences for individuals and for society. Young people who experience untreated anxiety and depression are more likely to underperform academically, to struggle in the transition to adult life, and to experience ongoing mental health difficulties in adulthood. The cost of failing to address the mental health needs of the current generation of secondary school students will be borne by the health system, the social welfare system, and the economy for decades to come.
The survey's findings also raise questions about the role of social media in the mental health of young people. Several respondents identified social media use as a significant source of anxiety, and the government's consideration of age restrictions on social media access — in line with the EU's proposed Kids Act — is directly relevant to the survey's findings.
Local Impact
For secondary schools across Ireland — from the large comprehensive schools of Dublin's suburbs to the smaller community schools of rural Connacht and Ulster — the survey's findings will resonate with teachers and guidance counsellors who have been observing the deterioration in student mental health at first hand. Many schools have already introduced wellbeing programmes and mental health awareness initiatives, but the resources available to support students in genuine distress remain inadequate.
For parents of secondary school students, the survey provides a framework for understanding the pressures that their children are experiencing and for having informed conversations about mental health. The National Parents Council has indicated that it will publish guidance for parents on how to support young people experiencing anxiety, drawing on the survey's findings.
What's Next
The government's new national mental health strategy is expected to be published before the end of 2026. Budget 2027, to be announced on 14 October, is expected to include additional funding for CAMHS and for school-based mental health supports. The Department of Education is expected to publish updated guidance for schools on the provision of mental health support in the coming months, and the National Educational Psychological Service is expected to receive additional resources to address the growing demand for its services.
