Italian youth helpline sees mental-health calls surge by 87% in 2026
Telefono Azzurro reports an 87% rise in mental-health related calls during the first nine months of 2026, with anxiety, sadness and loneliness most common.
In the first three quarters of 2026, Telefono Azzurro’s youth helpline logged 1,286 mental-health calls, an increase of 87.2% compared with the same period last year. These calls now represent 35.7% of all help requests, up from 30.1% two years ago. Anxiety, sadness and loneliness top the reported symptoms, and 417 cases included suicidal ideation, attempts or self-harm.
The service primarily assists 15-year-old adolescents, seven out of ten of whom are female, with most reaching out through chat or WhatsApp rather than phone. Ahead of World Mental Health Day, the organization, together with the University of Bologna and the IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences, will host a forum in Bologna to explore how social media, cyberbullying and AI affect youth wellbeing. Ernesto Caffo emphasized the need for schools, universities and civil society to create safe listening spaces and preventive measures.
Why it matters
The sharp rise in youth mental-health calls signals growing distress among Italian adolescents, highlighting the need for targeted support and policy action.
In this story
