Millennials Leading the Charge in Mental Health Support, New Data Reveals

HBF Chief Medical Officer Dr Andy Papa-Adams said the increase might suggest that people in this life stage are increasingly embracing therapy not just in times of crisis, but as a tool for self-care and resilience.

“Millennials are navigating some of the most complex and high-pressure years of life—balancing careers, parenting, financial stress and ageing parents,” Dr Andy said. “For this demographic, I believe therapy is increasingly being viewed as an essential part of overall wellbeing, like physical fitness.”

Men driving the increase

HBF paid 110,000 more psychology claims to men in FY25 compared to the prior year, equating to a 2.7% increase. Meanwhile, claims to women grew by 0.5% in the year.

Aligned to overall claims, the strongest growth in psychology claims for men was among 35 to 45-year-olds, which rose by 16.2%, followed by a 5.0% increase among men aged 45–55. Boys and teenagers up to 18 years old continued to represent the largest cohort, making up over 25% of HBF’s psychology claims for males in FY25.

“The growth in claim trends for males between 35 to 55-years-old is a positive sign that stigma around men accessing mental health support may be slowly shifting,” Dr Andy said.

Older Australians turning to psychologists

An unexpected insight from HBF’s claims data was a 9% increase in psychology claims among Australians aged 75 to 100 in FY25 compared to the prior year, suggesting a growing awareness of mental health later in life.

“Older Australians face serious challenges like loneliness, bereavement, declining health, and reduced mobility,” Dr Andy said. “It’s encouraging to see this group feeling more empowered to seek help.”

Young people continue to prioritise mental health

HBF’s psychology claims in FY25 continued to indicate that young Australians and women prioritise seeking mental health support the most. Of the circa 3.8 million psychology claims HBF paid in FY25, 36% were to people aged 18-35. Women between 25 and 35-years-old were the single biggest cohort, accounting for more than one in five psychology claims paid by HBF.

“It’s incredibly encouraging to see young Australians prioritising their mental wellbeing and recognising the value of having the right tools to manage stress from life’s challenges,” Dr Andy said.

“The fact that young people are seeking support from psychologists the most is incredibly positive. We hope this trend continues and becomes a lasting part of how Australians care for their mental health.”

HBF: A Partner in Mental Wellbeing

As Australians become more aware of mental wellbeing, HBF remains committed to making mental health care more accessible, affordable, and stigma-free for all members. HBF’s Mind Matters Program continues to deliver personalised therapeutic recovery support in collaboration with health professionals from Mind Australia – one of Australia’s leading community mental health specialists.

“The HBF Mind Matters program is designed to keep people well in the community and build their skills to manage their mental health, without needing hospitalisation or experiencing big declines,” said Merryn Chappel, Clinical Relationship Manager at Mind Australia.

The overall success of Mind Australia’s programs has seen a halving of hospital re-admission rates and hospital length of stay for patients. Participants of HBF’s Mind Matters program typically present with a moderate level of anxiety and depression and they exit the program with a reduction to a mild level of symptoms.

“Many people in the millennial generation – and those slightly older weren’t super proactive in engaging in wellbeing strategies when they were younger. So, when they have these big stresses, or they get to the end point of an accumulation of work stress, burnout, family responsibilities, they don't have the tools to manage that level of distress,” said Merryn Chappel.

“Meanwhile, younger people have grown up in a digital wellness era. They tend to be more proactive in the earlier stages of mental health distress and integrating things like meditation and mindfulness, online support and exercise, so perhaps they're a little bit more equipped as stresses increase.”