The BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize survey of 2,000 13- to 18-year-olds found that 69% reported feeling anxious at least some of the time, with 65% feeling overwhelmed. Pressure around exams and grades was the biggest concern. Girls were disproportionately affected, with 74% experiencing anxiety.
A separate YoungMinds survey of 1,000 GCSE and A-Level students found 63% struggled to cope during exam periods. Among those, 13% had suicidal thoughts, 13% self-harmed, 56% had trouble sleeping, 61% experienced anxiety, 40% saw worsening mental health, 30% skipped meals, and 26% had panic attacks. According to YoungMinds, exam stress is one of many factors driving record numbers of young people to seek mental health support.
Exams were more than twice as likely as social media to have a significant negative impact on mental health, the charity's research indicated. According to HuffPost UK, one 16-year-old described feeling panic when not revising, yet the panic itself hindered concentration. Another told the outlet she had lost motivation to revise despite having future plans.
The mental health of children and young people in England is worsening, research shows, with record numbers presenting with difficulties. NHS and school support services are not sufficiently resourced to meet demand. Since January 2020, the number of children in contact with secondary NHS mental health services each month has more than doubled.
In 2024-25, over one million under-18s were in contact with NHS mental health services. Over half of all mental health disorders start before age 14, and 75% by age 24. The CDC reports that in 2023, over 40% of US high school students experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, with figures remaining high into 2025.
Among US students, 57% of girls exhibited depression symptoms compared to 31% of boys. LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk, with nearly 70% reporting significant emotional distress. 9% in 2014.
1%. The Kaiser Family Foundation found 21% of American teenagers reported anxiety symptoms, while 17% showed signs of depression. The WHO indicates that 14% of 10- to 19-year-olds globally suffer from mental health conditions.
Over half of all Childline counselling sessions in 2024/25 related to mental or emotional health. Abuse and neglect increase the likelihood of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and PTSD. Almost three-quarters of young people who experienced sexual assault developed PTSD.
Social media is arguably one of the biggest contributors to the decline in young people's mental health in 2025, research suggests, alongside social isolation, financial stress, and past trauma. However, a University of Bristol survey found that anxiety levels among 13-14-year-olds dropped during lockdown compared to October 2019. In October 2019, 54% of girls and 26% of boys felt anxious; by May 2020, this fell to 45% and 18%.
Pupils who felt least connected to school before lockdown saw a larger decrease in anxiety, suggesting the school environment may affect some teenagers' mental well-being, according to lead author Emily Widnall. Yet exam stress remains a major factor in record mental health support demand, and exams are the top source of anxiety for teens. This contradiction leaves unclear whether school attendance overall increases or decreases anxiety.
Additionally, while social media is cited as a major contributor to mental health decline, YoungMinds found exams had more than twice the negative impact. The disagreement over the primary driver affects where resources should be targeted. Around one in five young people aged 13 to 17 in England and Wales lack a trusted adult outside their family.
A third of 10- to 19-year-olds feel alone or lonely some of the time. The number of full-time youth workers in England has fallen by a third since 2012, and spending on youth facilities dropped 73% between 2010/11 and 2022/23. The UK ranks last out of 27 European countries for 15-year-olds' life satisfaction.
Nearly half of young people spend most of their spare time in their bedroom, and less than half agree there are enough clubs and activities in their area. Almost half feel their voice does not matter in national decisions, and 18- to 24-year-olds have the lowest electoral participation. Only 40% of 14- to 24-year-olds said they would likely vote in the next general election, and one in three do not know how to influence local decisions.
The BBC survey also found 38% of teens spend five hours or more daily on their phones. 94% play video games, with 31% doing so daily. 47% have used AI for homework in 2025, up from 36% in 2024.
Two-thirds are concerned about fake news and misinformation online, a 15-percentage-point rise from last year. However, 71% were not concerned about their smartphone time. Despite these challenges, 79% of teens surveyed said they feel positive about the future, up 13 points from two years ago.
The 'State of the Nation' report, commissioned by the Secretary of State for DCMS, informed the 'Youth Matters' National Youth Strategy. A survey of over 14,000 young people found top concerns include friendships, school, money, future plans, and mental health. Priorities for improving daily life include lower living costs and more recreational activities.
The BMA recommends prioritizing early mental health interventions, strengthening collaboration between services, and basing funding on a full assessment of unmet need. May is the peak season for Childline calls about exam stress. Between April 2025 and March 2026, Childline delivered 1,679 counselling sessions where exam or revision stress was mentioned.
The majority of concerns came from children aged 12-18, with 11% of contacts from those aged 11 and under, according to Childline. YoungMinds said exam stress is one of many factors contributing to record numbers of young people seeking mental health support.