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New PL MP Voices Concern At ‘Mental Health Crisis’ As Survey Finds Two Thirds Of Youths Affected By Anxiety

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New Labour MP Malcolm Paul Agius Galea has urged the government to ramp up its commitment towards tackling mental health problems after a survey laid bare how prevalent anxiety is among youths in Malta.

The survey, carried out by Richmond Foundation among 13-25 year olds, found that 70% of respondents reported feelings of anxiety, including 34.8% who stated they feel anxious “very often”.

“While the results of the survey don’t surprise me, they do concern me quite a bit,” Agius Galea said.

“The survey shows how big the mental health crisis is, particularly in light of a world that has been in a pandemic for over two years, and is facing global economic problems and instability caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine.”

Noting that Richmond has witnessed a 1000% increase in demand for its services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Agius Galea said the government must offer all necessary resources, and that this must go beyond providing specialised medicine and hospitals. 

 “We must tackle it in society by removing any stigma associated with mental health problems and recognising that we can seek help when the problem is still at its early stages,” he said. 

“Anxiety and a lack of interest in things that usually give us pleasure could be the first signs of this very common illness.”

“Let’s realise once and for all that the absolute majority of people pass through periods of mental health problems but this doesn’t mean it should be ‘acceptable’ or ‘normal’. I urge you to seek help.”

You can contact Richmond via the freephone helpline 1770 or online through OLLI.Chat

READ NEXT: Shadow Economy Minister Says He Quoted Joseph Muscat’s Survey To Flag Malta's Economic Challenges

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

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