24/02/2026
D. Sakelli: The Silent Crisis – Why Adolescent Mental Health Must Be a Priority
Youth su***de has increased dramatically over the past two decades. According to international statistics, trends since 2000 show a worrying rise, reinforcing the characterization of young people’s mental health as a critical public health challenge, notes Dimitra Sakelli, Criminologist – Forensic Psychologist, Prevention Specialist & Coordinator of the RISE Counseling and Prevention Center, in her related article.
However, numbers alone do not tell the whole story. The real problem faced by thousands of families in Greece and Cyprus is not only the increased su***de rates, but the daily, profound pressure adolescents experience in a digital world filled with comparison, fear of “not being enough,” and emotional isolation.
At the European level, she continues, the World Health Organization and UNICEF report that 1 in 7 children and adolescents lives with some form of mental disorder, while su***de ranks among the leading causes of death for ages 15–19 in European countries.
In Greece, recent studies show that approximately 1 in 4 adolescents faces some form of mental disorder, with significant sleep difficulties, incidents of self-harm, and high-risk behaviors. Other research records depression rates reaching up to 29% among girls and 13% among boys. Overall, depression in the Greek population remains at high levels compared to other European countries.
In Cyprus, a recent study by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF found that 86% of young people report high anxiety and uncertainty about the future, while 75% feel constant pressure in their daily lives. Despite this, fewer than half of those who need help ultimately seek support from a mental health professional.
The Foundation of Well-Being Is Not Only Structure, but Connection
Most parents focus on ensuring that their children complete their schoolwork, follow routines, and maintain “order” in their daily lives. This is important. However, the true foundation of well-being is not only structure, but emotional connection.
Chronic stress from continuous digital media use, comparison on social media, and the need to appear “successful” in every aspect of life deeply burden the developing brain—often without visible external signs.
This pressure is not reduced simply through rules or increased supervision. It requires emotional safety, authentic presence, and a space where young people can be themselves without fear.
What Truly Helps Children
Scientific research shows that young people who have stable and open family relationships,
conversations without criticism or pressure,
shared meals without screens and with genuine presence,
develop greater psychological resilience and show reduced risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors—regardless of academic performance or external achievements.
What young people need is not more control. They need emotional accessibility. They need to feel they can say, “I’m not okay,” without fear of judgment, rejection, or disappointment.
How a Home Can Change
Drastic changes are not required overnight. Small, daily habits can make a meaningful difference, Ms. Sakelli notes, such as:
Establish moments without phones or screens. Simple, undistracted presence shows attention and respect.
Ask and listen without immediately correcting or advising. Listening is an act of acceptance.
Acknowledge that “I don’t know how I feel” is completely valid and that confusion is part of development.
As international literature indicates, when young people grow up in an environment where it is acceptable not to be “always okay,” their nervous system regulates more effectively, resilience is strengthened, and mental health stabilizes.
Adolescent mental health is not a luxury, she adds. It is the foundation for a society’s future. And change begins where the greatest influence exists — at home.
