‘Financial Instability, Social Media Addiction Trigger Mental Imbalance In Youths’

Forty four per cent of young adults (18-24) currently suffer from mental health conditions, with excessive use of social media and financial instability being major contributing factors, according to AXA Mind Health Report 2025.

Additionally, the report disclosed that work-related stress, including excessive workload, tight deadlines, and a lack of work-life balance, remain a significant concern for employees.

Speaking on the report, general counsel and Human Resource director of AXA Mansard,  Omowunmi Mabel Adewusi, further emphasised the importance of prioritising mental health in the workplace, explaining that mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being. Organisations must implement policies that support their employees.

The state of mind health in the world, he said, continues to give cause for concern, with a lot of people currently experiencing a mental health condition, adding that, this 5th edition of the report shows a worrying trend among youth.

“We also observe an interesting trend in the workplace that reveals work impacts employees’ mental health either as a source of support or a source of issues. For us at AXA, this realisation is at the heart of our We Care Programme, which affords our employees benefits such as flexible working hours, access to professional counselling services, monthly health workshops, a supportive work environment, menstrual, extended paternity, and caregiver leave benefits.

“The findings of the AXA Mind Health Report 2025 highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to address mental health issues in the workplace and among the youth. We are calling on business leaders, government agencies, and other stakeholders to foster a wellness culture that promotes positive mental health and supports individuals in reaching their full potential,” he stressed.

The 2025 study, conducted in collaboration with IPSOS, aims to identify mental health and wellness issues in global society to build solutions to mitigate them. A total of 17,000 respondents from 16 countries participated in the survey.