Empowering the next generation: Youth take the wheel of their mental health

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports a concerning rise in mental health issues in young individuals aged 15 to 24 years. This increasing prevalence of poor mental health brings with it an alarming surge in the prescription and use of psychiatric medication. Specifically, over 33 million (73 per cent) psychiatric medications prescribed in Australia in 2023 were antidepressants alone.

Researchers at the Perron Institute have recently engaged in conversations with young people, to listen to their experiences of seeking treatment for mental health conditions. Among their top concerns were doubts regarding the effectiveness of antidepressants, apprehension towards potential medication-related side effects, coupled with the risk of medication dependency. Additionally, the financial strain associated with mental health care acts as a formidable barrier, deterring many young people from seeking the help they desperately need.

Perron Institute head of brain plasticity research and co-lead of the youth mental health research team and University of Western Australia, associate professor Jennifer Rodger, said these insights are valuable as they highlight key areas where new technologies and treatment approaches can be developed to better support young people in managing their mental health.

“These conversations can help us to ensure that new technologies and approaches to mental health treatment emerging from our research are designed with the needs and expectations of young people at the forefront,” associate professor Rodger said.

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Compounding these concerns is an overall perception that urgent improvements to support and resourcing are needed in several key areas, encompassing educational institutions, primary healthcare services, and broader healthcare service providers.

The lack of comprehensive mental health education in schools, coupled with the swift resort to medication by healthcare providers, and the overwhelming costs and wait times involved in accessing care, underscores the pressing need for change.

Central to youth aspirations for change is their desire to be involved in the treatment decision-making process. Beginning with more open discussions with their healthcare provider, young people want to be made aware of the options available to them, which may include personalised approaches to medication prescription and non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions.

In response to youths’ needs, the Perron Institute’s youth mental health team is investigating the benefits of pharmacogenetics, an approach that personalises treatment based on an individual’s genetic makeup and their ability to metabolise medication.

When incorporated into primary health practice, pharmacogenetics has been found to aid in the prescription of antidepressants, helping practitioners to prescribe better-fitting medication that reduces the burden of medication-related side effects and is able to improve mental health outcomes more quickly. The Perron Institute team aim to determine the benefits of pharmacogenetics in the antidepressant prescription process in youth with depression. Additionally, the team aims to diversify treatment options by evaluating the advantages of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, a non-pharmacological intervention for depression in youth.

The Perron Institute envisions building a personalised treatment approach to depression that can one day be translated into clinical practice. Importantly, the research team will continue to engage with young people and the healthcare provider community throughout their work.

The hope is for young people to be provided with the information and evidence they need to navigate the mental health and treatment seeking landscape from the driver’s seat.

“By hearing what young people have to say, what their concerns are, and what they want their treatment to look like, we may be able to help young individuals to feel more empowered and informed in their mental health treatment, overall encouraging better mental health outcomes,” associate professor Rodger said.

More young Australians than ever are experiencing mental illness. The Perron Institute’s multidisciplinary youth mental health research team is conducting research into our brains and genes to unlock the mysteries surrounding mental illness and to help create the future of personalised treatments. Visit the website to learn more.