Why Are UK Teens Among The World’s Unhappiest? We Asked Them

Teenagers in the UK are some of the unhappiest in the world, according to a study by Unicef, with girls much more likely than boys to be dissatisfied. Sky News reported the UK is near the bottom of the league table (ranking 21 out of 36) for child wellbeing when compared with other high-income countries. British teens ranked second from last in terms of life satisfaction, tied with Chile, and followed by Turkey, which ranked in last place.Dr Philip Goodwin, chief executive of the United Kingdom Committee for Unicef, said: “Our teenagers are reporting some of the lowest life satisfaction levels, which must be a wake-up call for the government.”Unicef’s report revealed that how often children talked to their parents had a positive link with satisfaction, while bullying had a negative impact.Stefano, a YoungMinds activist who is 19, said he understands where the people involved in the study are coming from, as “we continuously see negative press and too often feel that companies and people in power aren’t acting in our interests, let alone those of our future selves”.Kate is 18 and isn’t surprised by the findings, either. She told HuffPost UK, via the mental health youth charity Beyond: “I think our society is focused on striving for money and success (exams, etc) rather than happiness and wellbeing – perhaps that’s where it derives from?”Kate said that having been bullied in the past, she agrees “100%” that it can lower happiness levels. “I agree with the lack of communication with parents decreasing happiness, or at least I presume that personally if communication was improved so would mood,” she added.The report’s findings come amid growing conversations (and frustrations) from parents centred around the use of devices, and social media, and the impact on teen mental health. Yet experts have told HuffPost UK that such devices can also be an important tool for young people to connect with each other. Open communication between kids and their parents is clearly important, as the Unicef report outlined. However a recent survey from The Week Junior found one in four families (25%) admit to not talking at all during dinner, with over three-quarters (77%) of families admitting to having phones at the table, over half of children (51%) using their devices while eating, and two-thirds (66%) saying they’d prefer watching TV or using a screen over having a conversation with a parent. So, what needs to change?Both teens think the education system needs addressing. Stefano told HuffPost UK: “The education system needs overhaul. Whether this be with exams or teaching emotional education, things need to change.“Children spend most of their waking hours in schools, particularly given closures of so many youth clubs around the country, we need to ensure that these environments are right for them.”Kate added: ”I think a lot has to do with the education system. We are pushed to succeed through good exam grades, that immediately categorises those who are intelligent to be deemed successful and therefore increases self-esteem and worthiness ... [and] vice versa occurs for those who struggle with exams.”She said there is also a “lack of wellbeing support available”.“Young people are denied mental health support until it gets to the point where it’s life or death,” she explained. “Early intervention could lead to unhappy children, not depressed children – and unhappiness is easier solved than depression.”A government spokesperson told Sky News it is investing an extra £680m in mental health services this year, “to help recruit 8,500 more mental health workers and put mental health support in every school”.They added: “We are developing an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school and driving up standards in schools through our new regional improvement teams.”Help and support:Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email [email protected] Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.Related...This Is What 'Catches Almost Every Parent Off Guard' When Kids Become Teens‘They’re Simply Wired Differently’: 10 Ways To Help Teens With ADHD Get Through Exams'It’s A World I Don’t Understand': Parents Share Fears About Raising Teens After Adolescence

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