Action to improve young people’s mental health, education and employment  The transition to adulthood is a tumultuous time: leaving education, entering the labour market, living independent of family and managing one’s finances all come with their stresses and strains. But this crucial part of the life course can be especially challenging for young people with mental health problems who are more likely to struggle in the adult world than their healthier peers.  Key finding Over one-in-three (34 per cent) of young people aged 18-24 reported symptoms that indicated they were experiencing a common mental health disorder (CMD) like depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder – a big increase since 2000 when less one-in-four (24 per cent) reported these problems. As a result, more than half a million 18-24-year-olds were prescribed anti-depressants in 2021-22.