About one in ten children in Indonesia are showing symptoms of depression and anxiety, a rate far higher than that recorded among adults and the elderly, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

The alarming trend emerged from the government’s nationwide free health screening program conducted over the past year. The program has screened around 7 million children so far, out of an estimated 25 million, and detected more than 363,000 cases of depressive symptoms and about 383,000 cases of anxiety disorders.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the findings highlight a long-overlooked mental health crisis among the country’s youth. “This shows that mental health is a serious problem in the country that we previously failed to detect,” he said during a recent press briefing.

According to Asia News Network, separate data from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) also indicates a sharp rise in suicidal behaviour among students. The proportion of children reporting suicidal thoughts increased from 5.2 percent in 2015 to 8.5 percent in 2023, while suicide attempts rose from 3.9 percent to 10.7 percent over the same period.

Experts say the causes are complex. Child and adolescent psychologist Anastasia Satriyo noted that depression and anxiety among young people are often shaped by a combination of family dynamics, social pressures and biological factors. Bullying, academic stress and family conflict were among the most frequently reported triggers.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) recorded at least 115 cases of child suicide between 2023 and 2025, underscoring growing concern about youth mental health in the country.

Officials say the response must involve parents, schools and communities. The ministry has called for stronger mental health education in schools, early detection by teachers and health workers, and wider access to counselling services.

However, Indonesia faces a major shortage of specialists. Only about 203 clinical psychologists currently work in community health centres nationwide, most of them concentrated in major cities on the island of Java.

BOB Post