Are you one of those people, under 25 years old, who have been suffering from increased stress, anxiety and depression under the COVID-19 restrictions?
It transpires that young people have suffered more with mental health issues over the last few months than any other age group, according to a far-reaching study that has scrutinised the effects of the pandemic on the under-25s.
A troubling picture of growing levels of anxiety and an inability to concentrate was reported by those aged between 18 and 24 as part of an extensive survey of more than 6,000 adults carried out by YouGov and designed by the Resolution Foundation, which was subsequently analysed by the independent charity, the Health Foundation.
Those aged under 25 are three times more likely to report that they are not enjoying their day-to-day activities as much as they were two years ago, while almost half said they were struggling to concentrate, compared with just over a fifth in 2018.
Restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus in the UK have driven stress, anxiety and depression far above normal levels. Worrying about contracting COVID-19, feeling lonely, and not thinking positively were all strongly associated with how anxious and depressed people have become.
Researchers say mental health levels may worsen as infections rise and further local lockdowns are imposed (or, even another national lockdown, which cannot be ruled out)!
A major study into the mental health impact of the pandemic found that in the early stages of lockdown 57% of those who took part reported symptoms of anxiety, with 64% recording common signs of depression.
It appears that women, young people and those in high-risk categories for Covid-19 were most affected, although different factors probably drove the mental health difficulties in each group.
While the fear of catching the virus was the most likely cause of the anxiety for those people with underlying health conditions, young people and women may have felt more distress through work insecurity, loneliness and increased domestic violence.
The research revealed that a third of this age group (under 25) had lost their job in the pandemic, compared with one sixth of working-age adults generally, and that those people who have been on furlough expect to have an increased risk of unemployment now that the job retention scheme is ending.
Young people have been hit particularly hard by the economic disruption, which has affected their financial security and threatened their job prospects.
If you are finding that you cannot cope any longer with your anxiety, depression or stress, then please seek professional help as soon as you feel that things are becoming unmanageable for you.
Since the initial lockdown in March, many mental health services were pared back and in some cases moved online.
Online services work well for some people, but not for others. Online doesn’t do a good job when someone is in crisis. There’s something about face to face contact, the experience of someone in the room with you hearing and understanding, that makes a real difference.
If you are in need of professional help with coping with COVID-19 anxiety, stress or depression, please call me (07913 979561) or contact me via my website to arrange a consultation.
I offer both remote counselling sessions (for those clients who feel safer using this method) and face-to-face consultations, with full safety measures in place.
I am here to help you in any way that I can, as a counsellor/psychotherapist and a clinical hypnotherapist.
Speaking to a professional counsellor who will listen and understand is your first step to learning effective ways of coping and to making meaningful changes in the way that you deal with uncertainty in this global pandemic!
Call me now on 07913 979561.
Diane Wade