Youth Mental Health in Helsinki: Support and Help for Young People

Adolescence is a life stage that involves major changes: physical, psychological, and social. Most young people navigate these changes well, but some need extra support. Youth mental health problems have unfortunately increased in Finland in recent years, and the need for help has grown. Fortunately, Helsinki has diverse services to support young people.

Common Mental Health Problems in Young People

Young people experience a variety of mental health challenges. The most common include:

• Anxiety: Social anxiety, generalised anxiety, and panic disorder.
• Depression: Persistent low mood, lack of motivation, and withdrawal.
• Eating disorders: Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disturbances.
• Self-esteem issues: Negative self-image, body image problems, and comparison culture.
• School pressures: Performance pressure, school bullying, and lack of study motivation.
• Substance problems: Problematic use of alcohol or other substances.
• Identity exploration: Questions related to sexual identity or gender identity.

It's important to take young people's symptoms seriously. Early intervention significantly improves the prognosis for recovery.

Youth Therapy Services in Helsinki

Helsinki offers a wide range of services to support youth mental health:

Youth stations: Helsinki's municipal youth stations offer free help for 12–22-year-olds. You can visit without a referral, and individual counselling, group activities, and crisis support are available.

School healthcare: School psychologists and school nurses are young people's primary low-threshold support network. They can identify problems early and guide towards further treatment.

FSHS: For students aged 18 and over, FSHS offers mental health services.

HUS youth psychiatry: Specialised care for 13–22-year-olds with a referral.

Sekasin chat and other digital services: Online services where young people can chat anonymously with a professional.

How to Support a Young Person

As a parent, teacher, or other adult, you can support a young person in many ways:

• Listen: Show genuine interest in the young person's experiences. Don't dismiss their feelings.
• Be present: Regular, reliable presence creates safety.
• Ask directly: If you're worried, ask the young person directly how they're doing. Openness reduces stigma.
• Don't pressure: Give the young person space and time, but show you're available.
• Seek help early: If the situation doesn't improve or the young person is at risk, seek professional help without delay.

Costs and Funding

Many youth mental health services in Helsinki are free:

• Youth stations: free
• School healthcare: free
• FSHS: affordable

Private therapy typically costs 80–120 euros per session. Kela's rehabilitative psychotherapy is also available for young people: those aged 16 and over can apply themselves. For those under 16, Kela can grant rehabilitation on other grounds.

Social Media and Youth Mental Health

Social media is a central part of young people's lives and can have both positive and negative effects on mental health. Comparison culture, bullying, and constant connectivity can increase anxiety and self-esteem problems.

In therapy, young people can learn healthier ways to relate to social media and develop critical media literacy.

In Crisis Situations

If a young person is in an acute crisis or you are concerned about their safety:

• Crisis helpline: 09 2525 0111
• Sekasin chat: sekasin.fi
• Emergency: take the young person to the nearest emergency department

Special Features of Youth Therapy

Therapy for young people differs from both children's and adults' therapy. A young person is becoming independent and searching for their own identity, and it is important for the therapist to respect this process. In youth therapy:

• Confidentiality is central: The young person must be able to trust that the confidentiality of what is discussed in therapy is respected. The therapist discusses with the young person what information is shared with parents.
• The young person is an active participant: The young person is treated as the expert on their own life, not as a passive recipient of treatment.
• Flexibility: Youth therapy can use various methods: alongside conversation, for example art work, music, or activity-based exercises.
• Digital options: Many young people find online therapy or chat therapy more natural than a traditional appointment.

Guidance and Support for Parents

Youth therapy often also involves guidance for parents. The therapist may meet parents separately and help them understand the young person's situation, as well as develop support for everyday interaction. Guidance for parents is not a sign that the parents have failed. It is part of comprehensive care in which the whole family learns new ways of working together.

Hope for the Future

Young people are resilient and capable of recovering even from difficult situations with the right support. Research shows that early intervention in young people's mental health problems significantly reduces the risk of long-term problems in adulthood.

Where to find a therapist

You can look for a therapist in several places:

• Search services run by the Finnish Psychological Association (Psykologiliitto) and professional bodies.
• Kela's service provider search, if you are applying for rehabilitative psychotherapy (only Kela-approved therapists qualify for reimbursement).
• The Valitse Terapia service and other directories.
• Your own health centre, occupational health service or student health service (YTHS), which can refer you onward.

You can contact several therapists and see with whom the collaboration feels natural.

Sources

• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Therapy guarantee for children and young people
• City of Helsinki: Social and health services
• Sekasin chat (support for young people)
• Mielenterveystalo (Mental Health Hub)