Debate: Are we over‐pathologising young people's mental health? You'd be in denial if you think we aren't

Because definitions of mental disorder are inescapably subjective, they can be continuously expanded in response to commercial, guild and social interests and pressures. In this article, I argue that this has resulted in young people increasingly (and unnecessarily) self-identifying, and/or being labelled, as having a mental disorder. I point out the dangers this poses for their future as thus far mental health awareness, prevention and treatment programmes have failed to improve mental health and well-being at a population level. Instead of doubling down on failed paradigms and strategies, we - as professionals and academics in the field - need to rethink what we are doing, endorsing or tolerating.