Statement by Commissioner Várhelyi ahead of World Mental Health Day

Ahead of the World Mental Health Day, Commissioner for Health and Animal Safety, Olivér Várhelyi, issued the following statement:

"More than 84 million people in the EU are estimated to struggle with their mental health.

To address the mental health challenges we face today, we must first listen to people, their experiences, their voice, and to turn what we hear into action. This is precisely the message behind this year's World Mental Health Day theme "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change".

This is particularly important for children and young people. Many mental health conditions emerge during childhood or adolescence and can have life-long consequences.

Increasingly, the mental health and wellbeing of our young people are being shaped by the technologies and trends around them. While the digital world offers valuable opportunities for children to learn, connect and grow, it can also bring new risks and pressures at a particularly formative stage of their lives.

We are placing special emphasis on understanding the impact of excessive screen time and social media on mental health and wellbeing, especially for children and young people.

Our Eurobarometer survey on excessive screen time, social media and youth mental health gave us an important opportunity to hear directly from adolescents aged 13-18 and their parents.

The results are striking: around 89% of young Europeans report using social media every day and the earlier children go online, the more time they are likely to spend in front of a screen. Most concerningly, nearly one in three adolescents report feeling stressed, sad or socially excluded because of social media.

We have listened to these experiences. And we are turning them into action.