The Mental Health Crisis Abstract: The mental health of adolescents has deteriorated in many countries around the world over the past two decades. This article presents the possible causes, such as the consequences of the current global crises and the influence of social media, against the backdrop of current literature. It examines alternative hypotheses for the increase in various diagnoses (gender dysphoria, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and discusses topics ranging from changes in diagnostic criteria, the neurodiversity movement, and the expansion of diagnostic concepts ("concept creep") to looping effects. It also examines possible consequences (care-prevalence paradox) regarding specific risk groups and derives implications for good and equitable child and adolescent psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care in the future.