Demand for youth mental health supports increasing according to spunout data

Anxiety, stress and isolation are the top concerns for young people using spunout’s Text About It service, according to new data released today (05.02.26). The data also showed an increasing demand for the service with a 9.4% increase in conversations in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Anxiety, stress and isolation are the top concerns for people using Text About It

Text About It is a free, anonymous, 24/7 messaging service providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for mental health and emotional wellbeing. Of the 52,748 conversations which took place through the service in 2025, the top five biggest issues on young people’s minds were anxiety, stress, isolation, intimate relationships and school.

This year also saw spunout launch the Navigator mental health signposting tool, which has been used by young people for more than 38,000 sessions since June 2025. Navigator is a web-based, mobile first service providing anonymous, immediate and personalised access to mental health information, and signposts young people to relevant local and national services for ongoing support.

Additionally, young people can access a huge range of factual and trustworthy information through spunout’s website. In 2025 alone, over 908,000 people used the spunout website, with the most popular content focusing on mental health, ADHD, finance, the CAO, employment, and young people’s rights and the Gardaí.

Text About It is busiest on Sunday nights

The majority of young people are using spunout’s services when regular support is unavailable, with Sunday nights being the peak time for conversations on Text About It. The festive season also proves to be an especially stressful time, with December the busiest month for conversations.

Sinead Keane, CEO at spunout, said: “It’s clear from the increasing number of people using Text About It and Navigator that young people in Ireland are experiencing a mental health crisis. While it’s positive that young people feel able to reach out for support when they need it, it’s worrying that so many are experiencing feelings of anxiety, stress and isolation.

“There is a real need for continued mental health promotion and education so that young people know how to access reliable information and the right support at the right time. Through our website and Navigator tool, spunout provides trusted resources to help young people understand their mental health and connect with appropriate services.

“Text About It also plays a vital role in supporting young people’s mental health, particularly outside of regular hours. This support is made possible by our trained volunteers, who are always supervised and supported by spunout staff. As demand for the service continues to grow, we encourage anyone interested in volunteering with Text About It to register their interest through the spunout website.”