Brazil reports sharp rise in adolescent anxiety, peer influence highlighted

Brazil's public health system recorded a dramatic increase in anxiety-related consultations among children and teenagers over the past decade. Between 2014 and 2024, visits rose about 2,500% for ages 10‑14 and roughly 3,300% for ages 15‑19, marking the first time youth rates have surpassed those of adults. A 2024 school health survey found that 42.9% of students often feel irritability or nervousness, with higher percentages among girls.

A separate Finnish study of more than 600,000 adolescents born between 1985 and 2000 showed that students who share classrooms or schools with peers diagnosed with anxiety or depression are more likely to receive similar diagnoses themselves. Researchers describe this as a form of "social transmission," emphasizing that shared school environments, norms, and behaviors can influence mental‑health outcomes, even though the disorders are not contagious.