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Unemployed under-25s face 'devastating' mental illnesses
Long-term unemployed 16-25 year olds face "devastating" mental health problems, including self-harm and suicidal thoughts, according to a study from the Prince's Trust.
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Former excluded pupil was 'lost' after school
A man who left school at 14 has spoken to Daybreak about the affect unemployment and exclusion from school had on his mental health.
Chris Newell "tried his best to behave himself" and was "lost" after he was permanently excluded.
"It just escalates and next thing you know, you get mixed up with your drink and drugs and just develop new obsessions to deal with your anxiety."
Expert: Unemployment a 'public health issue'
Unemployment should be a "public health issue" after youth charity the Prince's Trust revealed the extent of mental illnesses among Britain's jobless youngsters.
Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, commented:
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'20% of jobless under-25s' relying on drink and drugs
One in five young people with less than five GCSEs have admitted to using alcohol and drugs to get through the day, according to a wide-ranging survey.
In their annual flagship report, the Prince's Trust also found under-qualified 16 to 24-year-olds:
- One in five believe life is not worth living.
- A further 27 per cent said they felt there was nothing to get up for in the morning.
- At least 19 per cent had been prescribed medication to help them tackle mental health issues.
Anti-depressant use 'twice as likely' for jobless youth
Long-term unemployed youngsters are twice as likely as their peers to have been prescribed anti-depressants, researchers have found.
A study from the Prince's Trust revealed 16 to 25-year-olds who have been out of work for at least one year were more likely to self-harm and contemplate suicide.
Out of the 2,000 young adults quizzed by the youth charity, those unemployed for over a year were more likely to say they had no-one to confide in.
Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince's Trust, said: "More than 440,000 young people are facing long-term unemployment, and it is these young people that urgently need our help.
"If we fail to act, there is a real danger that these young people will become hopeless, as well as jobless."