The recent surge in mental health diagnoses among young people has sparked intense debate. Some point to global upheavals such as COVID‑19, climate anxiety, and social media as drivers of increasing distress. Others argue that everyday stress and sadness are being medicalized, creating an “overdiagnosis” narrative.
While these discussions are important, the core issue is clear: millions of people need support, and health systems around the world are struggling to keep up. For example, only a fraction of people with depression globally receive adequate care, and long waiting lists are a persistent challenge in many countries.
Moving Beyond Binary Diagnoses
Focusing on whether someone “counts” as mentally ill risks framing mental health as a simple yes/no question. In reality, experiences of distress and mental health challenges exist along a spectrum. Rather than narrowing diagnostic definitions, what is urgently needed is a smarter, more personalized approach that matches people to the right support at the right time.
Currently, diverse groups of individuals are often directed into a limited range of treatment pathways, despite wide variations in experiences and responses to care. A more tailored approach could accelerate access to care, reduce waiting lists, and prevent conditions from escalating. This includes identifying who may benefit from lower-intensity support, who needs urgent intervention, and how early-stage interventions can prevent chronic mental health issues.
Holistic and Innovative Solutions
Personalized care does not only mean clinical treatments. Effective support can also come from social initiatives, policy interventions, or community-based programs. Examples include the use of digital tools guided by clinicians to support those experiencing distressing symptoms, or community activities such as group singing to address postpartum depression.
By broadening the lens, mental health strategies can move beyond constrained healthcare systems, creating scalable solutions for prevention, social support, and structural change. Cutting-edge research is increasingly enabling this precision approach: understanding why individuals respond differently to medications, tailoring talking therapies, sleep interventions, exercise, or nutrition to personal needs, and identifying biological or environmental factors that contribute to mental health conditions.
Toward Personalized, Equitable Care
The temptation to dismiss rising diagnoses as overreach overlooks the urgent need for care. Instead, a commitment to science-driven, personalized mental health solutions can ensure that everyone receives the support they need—whether through clinical intervention, social support, or broader societal measures.
This approach has the potential to transform mental health care: preventing chronic illness, supporting recovery, and allowing people to thrive socially, personally, and professionally. Moving past debates about overdiagnosis, we can focus on a future where mental health care is precise, responsive, and equitable.
Key takeaway: The critical question is not whether too many people are being diagnosed, but whether health systems are prepared to provide tailored, effective, and scalable solutions to meet diverse mental health needs.
Read the original article by Miranda Wolpert, Director of Mental Health at Wellcome.
