More than half of the youngsters in Gooi have psychological complaints and about two-thirds feel lonely. The Gooise GGD reports this after a major study among more than a thousand young people. According to the health service, the mental health of young people deserves ‘extra attention’.
Loneliness among young people is particularly striking. A quarter of young people even indicate that they feel very lonely. This percentage is in line with the national average. Young women in particular suffer from loneliness: four out of ten women indicate that they miss a close relationship with a partner or a best friend.
Some of the complaints are a result of the corona crisis. It has, it turns out, had a huge impact on the mental health of young people. Four out of ten young people needed help or support due to the corona crisis because they were not feeling well.
Lots of alcohol and drug use
Where young people in Goois fare worse than the rest of the country is alcohol and drug use. No less than eight out of ten young people had drunk alcohol in the past four weeks, among sixteen and seventeen year olds this was almost three quarters.
In addition, one in six young people smokes daily and almost a quarter have used soft drugs in the past four weeks.
There is also good news: three-quarters of young people have a healthy weight, more than the national average. Young people also exercise one or more times a week.