As an extension of theSun’s coverage on the topic of young men and the effects of the online world on their mental health, we interviewed Lifeline International policy director Dr Alan Woodward.
On top of being an expert on crisis helpline services, Woodward, who is based in Australia, has worked in mental health and suicide prevention for 25 years as a policy adviser, evaluator and researcher.
According to Woodward, those in his line of work and those adjacent to it are aware that the mental health and well-being of young people throughout the world are not as good as they used to be.
“The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Youth Mental Health research from last year found evidence that their mental health, broadly speaking, had been in a decline for at least a decade.
“While the period around the Covid pandemic was particularly a difficult time for them, it seems that the long-term impact, in terms of their mental health, has not improved,” he said.
To Woodward, it is a challenge faced by most countries, as the manifestations of the impact can be seen in all manner of lives.
