Pandemic strains Britons’ mental health
Young Britons with mental health problems are reporting a further hit from the anxieties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a study has found.
Some 83 percent of young people in the United Kingdom with a history of mental health problems say they have experienced a deterioration due to the outbreak, a survey by the charity YoungMinds showed.
The group surveyed 2,111 people under the age of 25 who have a history of mental health issues. The polling took place between March 20 — the day most schools closed because of government restrictions — and March 25, when further measures were put in place.
Among those respondents accessing mental health support in the lead-up to the crisis, 74 percent said they had continued to get some support after the introduction of social distancing restrictions, despite the immense challenges they posed to services.
But 26 percent now said they could not access support. Some had experienced cancellations because of the school closures. Others had not been able to attend peer support groups and face-to-face services because of the virus-response restrictions and could not find replacement services provided online or by phone.
Before the crisis, the respondents had been getting help from service providers including the National Health Service, as well as counselors at schools and universities, private providers, charities and helplines.
Those surveyed said they were most worried about the health of their families, the impact of the school and university closures, a loss of routine and coping mechanisms, the isolation, and the break in social connections.
Naomi, a 21-year-old YoungMinds activist, said the crisis has made her feel anxious.
“My normal coping strategies, such as keeping a routine, getting out of the house and meeting people, are now no longer possible and this is a big trigger for my existing anxiety, which is getting worse,” she said. “What would normally be quite a stressful time in my final year of university is harder at the moment.”
Naomi has found other coping strategies, such as keeping a journal of her emotions and setting a goal for a certain number of interactions with people each day.
Time to pull together
Emma Thomas, chief executive of YoungMinds, said: “The coronavirus pandemic is a human tragedy that will continue to alter the lives of everyone in our society, and the results of this survey show just how big an impact this has had, and will continue to have, on the mental health of young people.”
Thomas added that it is a time for people to pull together and “look out for those who are most at risk in our society”.
“The government must fully recognize the growing mental health impact that COVID-19 will continue to have on children and young people, and ensure that addressing this is a key component of the ongoing response,” she said.