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HAMBURG — Young people today are growing up amid a constant stream of crises — Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, rising living costs, terrorist attacks, a global pandemic — and the ongoing climate crisis.
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This worries many adults, and parents in particular, fearing the long-term impact of the current situation on their children.
Professor Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, deputy clinical director at the University Hospital Hamburg, has spent more than two decades studying adolescent mental health. She has developed a seven-point plan for parents in the face of the stream of bad (bad) news.
Stress responses in the brain
DIE ZEIT: How does this constant state of crisis affect young people and their well-being?
Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer: Quite significantly. Adolescents’ psychological development is closely tied to their environment. Prolonged crises — whether pandemics, climate change, or geopolitical instability — trigger stress responses in the brain. This is also reflected in our research data. On one hand, surveys among young people indicate increased psychological distress, including anxiety and depression. On the other hand, secondary data, such as health insurance records, confirm a rise in actual diagnoses.
Some imagine a scenario in which everything collapses
DIE ZEIT: But haven’t these numbers improved significantly since 2023?
Ravens-Sieberer: Yes, and that’s the good news. However, the overall level of mental health problems and diminished quality of life has remained about five percentage points higher than before 2020. That’s concerning, especially when you consider that mental health trends had been relatively stable for decades. Our data, collected since the early 2000s, had shown little fluctuation. The bad news, therefore, is that young people’s mental well-being is still at a much lower level than before, even if it appears to have stabilized. More young people feel uncertain, isolated, lonely, and powerless. They worry about their personal future, and some even imagine a scenario in which everything collapses — where the future itself feels hopeless. That’s a terrifying thought for anyone to live with. This kind of future anxiety is a relatively new phenomenon. With so many political crises unfolding, young people often feel there is no structure — no reliable state or system — protecting them. Some react by withdrawing, while others develop depression.
DIE ZEIT: Are adolescents more vulnerable to these crises than people in other life stages?
Ravens-Sieberer: Early childhood is often emphasized as a critical developmental period, and that’s true. But adolescence is when people are particularly vulnerable because the brain is developing rapidly and many behavioral patterns are solidified. This is also the phase when young people think intensely about their future and search for their identity. If they feel that there’s no place for them in society, they can feel completely lost.
DIE ZEIT: At the same time, many young people are taking action — getting involved in climate activism, joining political movements. What sets them apart from those who withdraw?
Ravens-Sieberer: We should not underestimate the fact that young people also have an enormous ability to adapt. They develop coping strategies that make them resilient. And this resilience only becomes apparent when a crisis occurs. The ability to develop resilience is largely shaped by a young person’s home environment. If their family is already under significant stress, it’s harder for them to learn these coping skills. Whether a child or teenager grows up mentally healthy is heavily influenced by social factors. Socioeconomic background also plays a large role.
The social media factor
DIE ZEIT: Can we already predict the long-term effects of this ongoing crisis mode on young people’s development? Are there lasting changes?
Ravens-Sieberer: There’s a significant risk that today’s problems will persist into adulthood if we don’t take proactive steps to counteract them. Many mental health disorders, such as depression, first emerge during adolescence. If something goes wrong at this stage, the likelihood increases that these issues will remain throughout a person’s life. We need a shift in focus: Instead of prioritizing academic performance above all else, we need to teach young people life skills, such as resilience and self-efficacy.
Social media makes crises inescapable
DIE ZEIT: Recent election results show that first-time voters are leaning towards far-left or far-right parties. Is this a common trend among young voters?
Ravens-Sieberer: Young people often make decisions based on strong emotions and a desire for change. They also have a deep need for identity and belonging. Political extremes offer clear narratives and simple answers, which can be appealing. But that doesn’t mean young people aren’t thinking critically — it does, however, indicate that they are highly engaged and invested in shaping the future.
DIE ZEIT: Crises and turbulent times have always existed. What’s different today?
Ravens-Sieberer: Young people today experience crises as a constant global reality. This makes them feel more overwhelming than past crises, which were often more localized. Social media plays a key role, making crises inescapable, reaching young people unfiltered and often with disturbing images. As a result, they are more likely to get stuck in a negative cycle.
“The seven-point plan”
DIE ZEIT: What can parents do to support their teenage children?
Ravens-Sieberer: Resilience can be trained. And parents can work towards ensuring that their children are better able to cope with challenges later in life and have a significantly lower risk of developing psychological problems in times of crisis. I call it the seven-point plan:
1. Stay calm and realistic – Not every crisis is existential. Conveying this helps young people avoid unnecessary fear. Parents should also maintain their own composure, as their attitude strongly influences their children.
2. Engage in conversation – Talk to young people, listen to them, ask questions, and show genuine interest—without dismissing their concerns or uncritically passing on your own worries. Open dialogue strengthens trust and creates the sense that problems can be tackled together.
3. Strengthen self-efficiency – Young people need to feel capable of taking action rather than seeing themselves as mere victims of external circumstances. Parents can help them find concrete ways to engage — whether through social involvement or small, realistic changes in their daily lives.
4. Provide structure and stability – A structured daily routine with fixed habits — such as regular meals, clear bedtimes, and shared rituals — creates a sense of security and stability. Especially in uncertain times, these constants are crucial for well-being.
5. Offer emotional security – Young people need to feel loved and valued. Parents should always make it clear that they are there for them, even if teenagers no longer express their need for closeness as openly during puberty.
6. Involve external support – If crises become overwhelming, numerous sources of help are available. Teachers, school social workers, pediatricians, and family counseling centers are possible points of contact. Low-threshold options, such as crisis hotlines or online counseling, can also provide support.
7. Parents should seek help for themselves, too – Turning to parenting advice centers or self-help groups is neither a sign of weakness nor failure — it’s an expression of responsibility. This may be the most important point: failure is part of life. Parents should accept this, develop their own ways of coping, and help their child find concrete solutions.
