New data shows ‘young people in Ireland are experiencing a mental health crisis’

Anxiety, stress and isolation are among the top mental health concerns for young people in Ireland.

The data also showed an increase in demand for the service with a 9.4% increase in 2025 compared to 2024.

Text About It is a free, anonymous, 24/7 messaging service which provides people with a safe space for a calming chat or access to immediate support for mental health and emotional well-being. 

Statistics show that out of the 52,748 conversations which took place in 2025, the top five biggest issues on young people’s minds were:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Isolation
• Intimate relationships
• School

The majority of young people are using spunout’s services when regular support is unavailable.

Sunday nights were also found to be the peak time for conversations on Text About It. 

Speaking about the latest data, Sinead Keane, CEO at spunout, said: “It’s clear from the increasing number of people using Text About It and Navigator that young people in Ireland are experiencing a mental health crisis. 

“While it’s positive that young people feel able to reach out for support when they need it, it’s worrying that so many are experiencing feelings of anxiety, stress and isolation.”

She went on to say: “There is a real need for continued mental health promotion and education so that young people know how to access reliable information and the right support at the right time. Through our website and Navigator tool, spunout provides trusted resources to help young people understand their mental health and connect with appropriate services.”

“Text About It also plays a vital role in supporting young people’s mental health, particularly outside of regular hours. 

“This support is made possible by our trained volunteers, who are always supervised and supported by spunout staff. As demand for the service continues to grow, we encourage anyone interested in volunteering with Text About It to register their interest through the spunout website.”

This year also saw spunout launch the Navigator mental health signposting tool, which has been used by young people for more than 38,000 sessions since June 2025. 

Navigator is a web-based, mobile-first service providing anonymous, immediate and personalised access to mental health information, and it points young people in the direction of relevant local and national services for ongoing support.