Exclusive interview
Professor Peter Fonagy, who is leading an official review into mental health, told the BBC in an exclusive interview that young people should not be dismissed as "snowflakes" and that mental distress among them is on the rise. He said being young now is much harder than it used to be and characterised the increase in distress as a real and growing problem.
Rejecting dismissive labels
In his remarks, Prof Fonagy pushed back against attitudes that minimise young people's difficulties. He argued that the scale of distress cannot be reduced to a generational stereotype and said the trend he is seeing merits attention rather than derision.
Implications for policy and public debate
As head of an official review, Prof Fonagy's observations are likely to feed into wider discussions about how services and policymakers respond to youth mental health needs. His comments add to an ongoing public debate about the pressures facing young people and the adequacy of current support arrangements.
Broader context
While Prof Fonagy's interview emphasised the lived experience of young people today, he framed the issue as one that requires serious assessment rather than dismissive rhetoric. The findings of his review are expected to inform conversations about how best to recognise and respond to rising levels of distress among younger people.