Rethinking adolescent and child mental health care in the age of instant gratification

In today’s world of same-day deliveries, instant streaming, and rapid-fire responses, it’s no surprise that people are drawn to quick solutions. We are conditioned to expect immediacy in every aspect of life. But when it comes to mental health, particularly for children and adolescents, the pursuit of instant results can be damaging.

I have seen first-hand how the increasing commercialisation of mental health services has led to a proliferation of short-term, surface-level interventions, many of them instantly available online.

While accessibility and choice are crucial, the rush toward quick fixes risks sidelining the kind of thoughtful, evidence-based care that delivers real and lasting change.

Encouragingly, mental health is now more openly discussed than ever before. There is far less stigma attached to seeking support, and parents and young adults are more willing to explore therapeutic options across the board.

However, the sheer volume of options available, many of which promise rapid results, can leave people feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what constitutes effective, high-quality care.

One of the biggest concerns is the lack of regulation. Unlike medical professions, the title of ‘therapist’ is not legally protected, meaning that almost anyone can claim to provide mental health support. A quick online search turns up hundreds of services, many of which prioritise convenience and business growth over rigorous, specialist training. Parents, understandably eager to help their children, are often left to navigate a minefield of offerings, unsure of what is truly beneficial.

The pressures on the NHS mean that services are being forced to offer ever-shorter interventions, and the threshold for receiving treatment has never been higher. As a result, therapies that require deeper work—or staff with specialist expertise—are becoming increasingly difficult to access.

One of the most valuable but often overlooked approaches is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Despite outdated perceptions of psychoanalysis as an indulgent, navel-gazing exercise, modern psychodynamic therapy is a well-researched, highly effective treatment for a range of emotional and psychological difficulties.

Crucially, psychodynamic therapy helps people to explore their current difficulties in depth, rather than simply managing symptoms in the short term. This form of therapy pays close attention to building a trusting and safe relationship between the person and their clinician. Given the availability of robust evidence that shows the quality of this therapeutic alliance is a key predictor of positive outcomes, it’s really important to get this right.

I often liken the therapeutic process to building a house. You might be impatient to see the final result, but the strength and longevity of that home depends on the care taken in its construction.

When it comes to mental health, the same principle applies, rushed interventions might provide temporary relief, but true emotional resilience is built over time, with skilled support.

If we are serious about improving young people’s mental well-being, we need to move beyond the quick-fix mindset whether in statutory services or the private sector. We must champion approaches that prioritise depth, expertise, and long-term impact—because when it comes to mental health, quality should never be compromised in the name of convenience.

By Paul Bell, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Clinical Director of The Anchor Practice