No ‘snowflakes’: mental health review says today’s youth have it harder and harms are real

<p>Peter Fonagy lauds courage of young people and warns of consequences of rising prevalence of mental illness</p><ul><li><p>Full report | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/09/nhs-fonagy-review-autism-adhd-mental-health-conditions-care">NHS at risk of ‘system failures’ as demand for ADHD and autism care soars, inquiry finds</a></p></li><li><p>Explainer | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/09/key-findings-fonagy-nhs-mental-health-adhd-autism">What has the Fonagy review found and what does it recommend?</a></p></li></ul><p>Eighteen months ago, in an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/16/wes-streeting-there-is-overdiagnosis-of-mental-health-conditions">off-the-cuff remark</a> during a discussion on disability benefit cuts, Wes Streeting said mental health conditions were being “overdiagnosed”, riding headlong into another culture war.</p><p>He later apologised for the comment, but at the time it seemed the then health secretary had endorsed a populist view that ordinary stresses and disappointments had become too often medicalised, resulting in a surge of bogus clinical diagnoses and creating a “snowflake generation” of fragile, avoidant and workshy young people.</p><p>I am in awe of their courage. Young people are contending with more powerful forces than I ever faced</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/09/fonagy-review-snowflakes-young-people-mental-health">Continue reading...</a>