AdvertisementLifestyleHealth & wellnessMental health ‘Not snowflakes’: Severe mental disorders surge among young people Abby Seaman August 10, 2026 — 5:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Share A A AA pioneering study has found that the prevalence of severe mental disorders among young Australians has increased by nearly two-thirds over 15 years. The research, led by the Matilda Centre at the University of Sydney, is the first to compare diagnostic data for many mental health conditions. The largest growth occurred in mental disorders classified as “severe”, from 14.7 per cent to 24 per cent. Between 2007 and 2022, mental disorders in people aged 16 to 24, increased from 23.4 per cent to 36.2 per cent.