Mental health and wellbeing of youth in our communities

Being a teenager can sometimes feel like a roller coaster. It’s important to know the difference between mental health issues and life’s flat spots – and when to get support or treatment early.

Checking on our mental wellbeing is helpful during times of changes or challenges. Having good mental health allows us to:

• Develop a sense of who we are including our identities, values and beliefs;
• Cope with strong emotions;
• Work out how to get on with the people around us;
• Get by at school, work and home;
• Have respect for ourselves and others;
• Express what we’re thinking and how we’re feeling; and
• Accept responsibility for our own thoughts and actions.

Depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts may be caused by a combination of factors, including:

• Stressful events like the break-up of parents, or loss of a loved one;
• A family history of depression;
• Relationship break-ups or problems with friends;
• Learning difficulties; or
• Social isolation such as having no friends or whānau that you feel connected to.

What you can do if you are stuck feeling bad

There are heaps of ways you can start tackling feeling bad, overwhelmed or just plain sad. A lot of them are pretty easy too, like getting some fresh air and sleeping better.

• Find out more about the Five Ways to Wellbeing (Mental Health Foundation).
• Explore ways to help yourself (The LowDown).

It’s OK to ask for help – especially before your stress or anxiety escalates into something more serious.

Talk to someone you trust like a family member, your doctor or school counsellor.

You can also ask questions or chat anonymously about your feelings with one of many support services just for young people.

Downloads

• Meeting the mental health needs of young New Zealanders (Office of the Auditor-General New Zealand 2024).
• Now We Are Twelve: Young people’s experience of puberty at age 12 (Growing Up in New Zealand 2023).
• Understanding student wellbeing in the educational setting (Ministry of Education 2023).
• Youth Plan: Voice, Leadership, Action (Ministry of Youth Development 2023).
• Exploring factors influencing youth mental health: What we know and don’t know about the determinants of young people’s mental health (University of Auckland 2023).
• Te Huringa Tuarua 2023: Youth services focus report – Admission of young people to adult inpatient mental health services (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2023).
• Young people speak out about Wellbeing: An insights report into the Wellbeing of Rangatahi Māori and other Young People in Aotearoa (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2023).

• Indicators of child and youth health status in Aotearoa 2021 (NZ Child and Youth Epidemiology Service 2022) – region-specific reports also available.
• Experiences of COVID-19 for takatāpui, queer, gender diverse, and intersex young people aged 16-24 (Ministry of Youth Development 2021).
• Youth’19: Safety and Violence (University of Auckland 2021).
• East Asian, South Asian, Chinese and Indian Students in Aotearoa: A Youth19 Report (University of Auckland 2021).
• Negotiating Multiple Identities: Intersecting Identities among Māori, Pacific, Rainbow and Disabled Young People (University of Auckland 2021).
• What Makes a Good Life for Tamariki and Rangatahi Māori? (Office of the Children’s Commissioner 2021).
• Sexual attraction and substance use: Findings from the Youth Insights Survey 2016-2018 (Health Promotion Agency 2021).

• Positive Youth Development in Aotearoa (Wayne Francis Charitable Trust 2020).
• Life in lockdown: Children and young people’s views on the nationwide COVID-19 level 3 and 4 lockdown between March and May 2020 (Office of the Children’s Commissioner 2020).
• Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey Initial Findings: Hauora Hinengaro/ Emotional and Mental Health (University of Auckland 2020).
• Youth19: Youth Voice Brief (University of Auckland 2020).
• Youth Plan 2020-2022: Turning Voice into Action – Rebuilding and Recovering (Ministry of Youth Development 2020).
• COVID-19 Youth Recovery Plan 2020-2022: Rapid Evidence and Policy Brief (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
• Guidelines for supporting young people with stress, anxiety and/or depression (Ministry of Social Development 2015).

Documents

Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.

• Coping with Exams.
• Having suicidal thoughts and finding a way back (Mental Health Foundation).

Links

• Mana Mokopuna | Children and Young People’s Commission – formerly the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
• Whāraurau – formerly The Werry Centre.
• Depression: There is a way through it.
• The Lowdown.
• Skylight.
• Love Better.

• Mental Health Foundation.
• BeyondBlue (Australia).
• Reach Out (Australia).
• Rainbow Youth.
• Michael Ungar.
• Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK).

SPARX e-therapy for young people

SPARX is an online game-style tool to help young people develop skills to deal with feeling down, depressed or stressed.

This self-help e-therapy tool teaches young people key skills needed to help combat depression and anxiety.

The SPARX website also offers a mood quiz to help young people identify depression and gives information on where to get help.

Phone support from professional counsellors is available to SPARX users on 0508 4 SPARX.