Chile faces adolescent mental health crisis following violent incidents

Recent violent incidents in Chile, involving the murder of an inspector in Calama and a premeditated crime in Loncoche, have highlighted a critical mental health crisis among adolescents. Experts suggest these acts are not driven by organized crime but by deep-seated issues such as severe depression, anxiety, and family dysfunction.

According to the 2024 Diagnosis on the Situation of Children and Adolescent Rights by the Defensoría de la Niñez, 52.9% of high school students meet criteria for one or more mental health problems, including 35.2% experiencing depression and 25.9% experiencing generalized anxiety.