Can We Understand Youth Mental Health Earlier?
– Elsa Bernier & Céline Villemus –
Many mental health difficulties begin before the age of 25, and they are not always noticed right away. The BLOOM program is working to change this by following young people in the Montreal area over five years to better understand when and how mental health challenges emerge, with the goal of identifying better ways to support youth as early as possible.
Have you ever wondered why the same situation can affect people in different ways? One person might feel overwhelmed, anxious, or down, while another person might feel okay, even when they are going through something similar.
So, what makes the difference? Could it be our life experiences, our relationships, stress, or something else we can’t easily see?
Mental health can change over time, which is why the BLOOM project looks beyond a single moment in a young person’s life. By following young people aged 9–25 over several years, we hope to better understand how mental health develops and when changes may begin to occur. One thing we have already learned from the young people participating in BLOOM is that they come from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences.
Who are the faces behind BLOOM?
More than 500 young people have been referred to the program. They include children, teenagers, and young adults from a wide range of communities, cultures, family situations, and life experiences, with varying levels of access to support. Participants are recruited through community organizations, youth services, clinics, and, in some cases, directly from the community.
This diversity matters, because mental health challenges do not affect only one type of person or one type of situation. By including young people with many different experiences, BLOOM aims to reflect real life.
Each year, young people enrolled in BLOOM complete simple assessments by answering questions about how they are doing. These questions explore things like their mood, stress levels, and everyday life including school, work, hobbies, sleep routines, and relationships. The goal is not to label anyone, but rather to understand how mental health changes over time in real life.
Some youth also choose to take part in additional optional components, such as biological measures. These components include the collection of biomarkers, which are biological measures that provide information about what is happening inside the body. By studying these markers, we can better understand how biological processes may be connected to young people’s mental health, emotions, and daily experiences.
For example, some youth may provide a saliva sample to look at biological markers related to stress or complete a brain scan to learn more about how the brain works.
The hope is that, in the future, we can better understand early signs of mental health challenges and provide support sooner, rather than waiting until things become more serious.
What if the signs were there all along?
Mental health challenges don’t usually appear suddenly one day. They often develop slowly over time, sometimes without anyone noticing.
For some young people, small changes in mood, stress levels, or daily life can gradually become bigger challenges. For others, even when life is difficult, they may find a ways to cope and continue moving forward.
Another important thing we know is that mental health challenges can sometimes appear more often in certain families. But this does not mean it is inevitable. It just means that different factors, like environment, stress, and biology, can all play a role.
This is important because mental health looks different for everyone. Some people ask for help early, while others wait much longer before reaching out.
Some BLOOM participants are already receiving support for emotional or social challenges. Others may not currently be receiving support but could still be experiencing difficulties in their daily lives.
Understanding Today to Support Tomorrow
Growing up is not a straight line. Some periods are easier, while others can feel confusing, stressful or overwhelming. Most young people experience a mix of both.
What if we could notice changes earlier and offer support before things become harder? What if we could better understand why some young people are able to keep going and adapt, even during difficult times?
One day, what we learn through BLOOM could change the way we think about mental health. Instead of seeing it as something that suddenly goes wrong, we can see it as something we can understand, support, and protect over time.
Discover the authors
Elsa Bernier is a Research Assistant at the Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health at the Douglas Institute. She holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology and has experience studying how biology can influence health.
Through her work with the BLOOM program, she helps researchers better understand youth mental health and how to support young people earlier.
Céline Villemus is the Director of Operations at the Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. She has coordinated numerous research projects, particularly in the field of first-episode psychosis, before launching the BLOOM project in 2023.
Holding a professional master’s degree in epidemiology and a master’s degree in developmental psychology, she has been dedicated to improving the mental health and education of children, youth, and families for more than twenty years.
Glossary
Biomarkers: Biological indicators found in the body that can provide researchers with information about how the body is functioning. For example, certain biomarkers can provide information about stress or other biological processes.
Biological measures: Tools or tests that help researchers learn more about what is happening inside the body.
Brain scan: A test that creates images of the brain and helps researchers study brain structure, activity, or development.
Environment: people, places, and experiences around us that can influence our lives, such as family, school, community, and relationships.
Mental health challenges: Difficulties that can affect how we feel, think, or act, including changes in mood, stress, emotions, or daily life.
Support: Help or resources that can help someone manage challenges, such as support from family, friends, schools, or health services.
Editing and revision of the popular science article :
Aurore Lebourg, Scientific Communication Coordinator