Young people's mental distress is real, according to the head of a new review in the UK

(Photo via Getty Images) The story An independent review into mental health has found a rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders among the most common issues. Head of the review, Professor Peter Fonagy, says that accusations that young people are overly sensitive are wrong. He says it is now “harder to be young” due to challenges such as economic and employment uncertainty and problems caused by social media. Some are unsure about the new data as some of the sources rely on self-reporting. There is also an argument which says that the higher mental distress numbers could be because of changing attitudes and greater awareness, so more people feel able to report their problems.   News headlines  There is no ‘snowflake generation’ – it’s just harder to be young now, says author of mental health review  The Independent Young people have it tough, says charity boss BBC News Professor Peter Fonagy: How to help young people forge emotional resilience and wellbeing Tatler Key words and phrases snowflake a slang term to describe someone seen as too sensitive or easily offended have it tough experience difficult life circumstances forge build something strong with hard work Next If you find learning English from the news useful, find more programmes here.  Try these:  7,000 steps can reduce risk of depression How to take control of your emotions