The years when mental health conditions most often begin are also the years when support makes the biggest difference. Here’s how to tell a hard week from something more, and why your role matters more than you might think. We tend to think about mental health only when something goes wrong.
The World Health Organization (WHO) sees it as something bigger: the well-being that lets people cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn and work well. For a young person, good mental health makes it possible to study, make friends and find their feet in the world.
But here’s what’s easy to miss: the years when mental health concerns most often begin are also the years when support works best. The science backs this up. The US National Institute of Mental Health notes that the brain keeps developing into the mid-to-late 20s, and the WHO estimates that up to half of all mental health conditions start before the age of 14.
In South Africa, a 2025 review by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) found that about one in ten young people lives with depression, and that most never get help. The good news is that a brain that is still developing is also one that adapts, which is why early support shapes how a young person copes in the future.Remember being 17?Think back to when you were 17. The exams that felt as if they’d decide your whole life.
The friendships that changed overnight. Perhaps there was an adult – a parent, a coach, a teacher – who noticed when you weren’t okay and said something.
Now picture your own child at that age, carrying all of that plus a phone that never switches off and an uncertain job market.Good mental health is what helps them sit a three-hour exam, recover from a bad result, make friends in a new residence and walk into a first job interview. Like physical fitness, it responds to everyday habits.You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul.
The basics go a long way: enough sleep, regular movement, something that makes them feel capable and time with friends and family away from screens.These habits support well-being, but they can’t prevent or cure a mental health condition.
Depression and anxiety are health conditions, not a lack of willpower. A young person who is struggling hasn’t failed at self-care and deserves the same professional support you’d seek for any other health concern. Cost shouldn’t stand in the way: most medical schemes cover consultations and treatment with qualified healthcare professionals.
When it’s more than a bad week, Mood swings, slammed doors and the occasional all-nighter are part of growing up. What matters is how long a change lasts and how much it disrupts everyday life. Signs worth paying attention to include:
• Pulling away from friends, family or activities they used to enjoy.
• Changes in sleep, appetite or energy.
• Sadness, irritability or worry that doesn’t lift.
• A drop in marks or in coping with studies or work.
• Drinking excessively or using other substances.
• Talking about feeling hopeless, being a burden or not wanting to be here.
If any of these becomes a continuous issue, it’s worth talking to a healthcare professional. The last sign is different: don’t wait.
Talk to your child, stay with them and get help the same day. Making sense of your medical scheme coverIf you belong to a medical scheme, it’s worth knowing what your plan offers before you need it. Start with the basics. All registered medical schemes must cover certain mental health conditions as Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs), and many plans add further benefits for consultations and treatment.
Next, look at how easy the first step is. A psychologist or psychiatrist can feel like a big leap when you’re not sure anything is wrong, so some schemes now offer an easier starting point. From January 2027, Medshield Medical Scheme members can book a private, nurse-led mental wellness consultation at any Clicks clinic. It’s covered from risk through the member’s existing SmartCare benefit, not from day-to-day or savings.
A trained nurse helps identify any concerns and, if more support is needed, guides the member to a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist.Finally, on many medical schemes, children are covered as child dependants only up to age 21. Medshield is extending the Child Dependant age from 21 to 24 on all benefit options in 2027, which extends young adults’ cover at an affordable price, guaranteeing access to treatment.
If you’re unsure what your plan includes, check your benefit guide or contact your scheme to confirm what is covered and whether any co-payments apply.If you’re worried right nowYou don’t have to wait until things get worse, and you don’t have to handle it alone.
If you are not covered by a medical scheme, free support is available around the clock from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG):
• SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567 (toll-free, 24 hours)
• SADAG Mental Health Helpline: 0800 456 789 (toll-free, 24 hours), or SMS 31393.
If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services or go to your nearest hospital emergency unit.The next time something seems off, don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect words. Be the adult who notices. These are the years when a mind is still taking shape, and the people around it help shape it. One conversation won’t fix everything. But it might be the one they remember.
NB: This consumer article is for educational purposes only and does not provide personal medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you read here.
