The Duke of Sussex has said that social media is ‘more addictive than drugs and alcohol’ during a roundtable discussion on young people’s mental health.
Harry visited the YMCA in South Ealing, west London, on Wednesday, to discuss and meet with representatives from charities including Stonewall and Young Minds.
The roundtable event was convened by Heads Together, a mental health initiative headed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Prince Harry was speaking at a YMCA event in west London today, where he discussed mental health on a panel
Speaking about social media, the Duke said: ‘Social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol. Yes it is more dangerous because it is normalised and there are no restrictions. So we are in a really mind-altering time.
‘But we are in an exciting time because everybody in this room has an opportunity to actually make a real difference so that young people coming through are less connected to their phones.
‘They can be as connected as they want to be but they have to have a human connection as well. Without that human connection when you do have a problem you have nowhere to go and the only place you might go is online and you [are] probably getting bullied.
‘Every single one of us has mental health. There is good mental health and there is bad mental health and just because you suffer or might not suffer from mental illness, your bad mental health is affecting everyone around you.
‘The younger generation feel so much more positive about this. There is no point in saying ”I’m fine, I feel fine”. Everyone in this room is susceptible to mental illness.’
Much of the discussion at the event centered on how, for many young people, mental health issues can lead to alcohol and drugs abuse as they try to cope with the pressures they feel.
The roundtable event was convened by Heads Together, a mental health initiative headed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
The discussion included representatives from YoungMinds, The Mix, Safe Lives, and Mermaids, which supports transgender children and young people.
Harry spoke at length of the need to hear more ‘success stories’ from young people who overcome their mental health issues – explaining that many of the young people he had met, who had been in ‘really, really dark places’ had come out the other side to ‘live a normal life’ and were keen to talk about their experiences.
‘Now you as charities, I don’t believe, necessarily put those young people forward. Those are the icons, the people that young people need to see and hear. The media here need to be better at telling the success stories.
‘There is too much negativity surrounding mental health. No wonder it so hard for young people to actually talk about it. ‘
Harry was visiting the YMCA to meet with organisation supporting he mental health of teenagers and young adults as part of his ongoing work to promote greater openness around mental health.
The Duke of Sussex looked engaged as he spoke to the Youth Ambassadors Mental Health Champions during the visit to YMCA South Ealing
YMCA South Ealing, one of the largest in Europe, primarily provides supported housing for 150 young people who are dealing with issues such as homelessness, mental illness, substance misuse or domestic violence.
He began his visit by meeting with a group of residents in a kitchen area.
‘What’s this place like – be honest!’ he asked.
‘It has its ups and downs,’ admitted Jade Messam-Goodeenough, who was expelled from school at the age of 15 for low attendance and was later diagnosed with psychosis and anxiety but has managed to come through with the held of a YMCA support worker.
The prince commented: ‘Does it ever freak you out that some [residents] are double your age but that have had the same experience and come out the other side?’
‘It must be comforting to know that you are not alone, that you are one of the more not the few [when it comes to mental health]. That must be comforting?’
Prince Harry couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he took part in a children’s ballet class at a YMCA in west London today. Pictured, the royal shows off his balancing skills
Later he went for an informal chat with some of YMCA’s ‘mental health champions’.
He spoke at length to Charlie Smith, from Norfolk, a senior youth engagement worker for the Mind Matters project and a YMCA Youth Ambassador.
Harry quizzed her about how important it was to have ‘peer to peer’ mentoring as opposed to help from teachers.
‘It must be easier for kids in some situations to go and speak to someone relatable to them instead of going to a teacher or a therapist,’ he commented.
‘We just need to normalise the conversation, to make it so normal [to talk about mental health] that it becomes part of every day life.
‘As we all know stage 1 is talking about it and that can be a cure in itself.
‘The shame we feel…. we are chipping away [at it] but the shame associated with mental illness is terrible.’