Young people aren't snowflakes - mental distress is rising, says head of official review

Image source, Getty Images By Nick Triggle , Health correspondent , Catherine Burns , Health correspondent and Vicki Loader , Health producer Published 15 minutes ago Accusations that the young are a snowflake generation are wrong, the head of an independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism has told the BBC.

In an exclusive interview, Prof Peter Fonagy says there has been a real rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common.

He says it is "harder to be young" now given the economic and employment uncertainty they face coupled with the challenges presented by social media.

The review was ordered nine months ago by Wes Streeting after the then-health secretary claimed in an interview that young people were over-diagnosed and "written off".