20% Of the Population Could Need Help With Their Mental Health Following Covid Says Charity.

The pandemic has created 'economic, health and social uncertainty and insecurity', this will have an insecure impact on the mental health of the population.

 

This is the conclusion reached by the Centre for Mental Health in a report published last week.

 

The charity worked with partners in the NHS to predict that 10million people, 20%of the population may need new or additional support with their mental health as a result of the pandemic.

 

Two thirds of those needing support will have had existing mental health needs.

 

People seeking support are likely to do so to help them cope with depression, anxiety and loneliness.

 

This grim picture is supported by figures from Public Health England showing that levels of mental distress were higher in April of this year than at the same point in 2017 and 2019.

 

In April 30% of adults reported levels of mental distress high enough to require treatment. This figure has fallen since the Spring but could rise again as a second wave of the virus unfolds.

 

Among the groups experiencing the most serious impact were women and young adults, the Public Health England figures show both were more likely to report O or mental health than either men or older adults.

 

Anxiety levels amongst adults were, in general, higher than usual with people who were unemployed or on low incomes most seriously impacted. Key Workers also reported higher levels of stress and anxiety than non-key workers.

 

The Public Health England figures also suggest a link, as does the Centre for Mental Health report, a link between increased mental distress and spending more time at home.

 

Levels of mental distress look set to rise as a second wave looks imminent and more data emerges about the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of specific groups such as BAME people.

 

Writing in a blog post on the Centre for Mental Health website director Sarah Hughes for more support for people struggling with their mental health and for that support to utilize local knowledge.

 

She adds that it is 'important the government and the NHS are prepared for the rising level of need and ready to meet it, whenever possible before people reach the point of crisis'.

 

The assessment of the likely impact of the pandemic on the nation's mental health is stark enough; but may yet prove to be conservative.

 

The impact of a second wave along with that of the economic shock-wave likely to hit in January could see need grow faster than the virus itself. This will present a major challenge for public health services that have already been stretched to breaking point.

 

As report author Nick O'Shea writes in his conclusion just as Covid has 'tested every nation's resilience and resources, so will addressing the psychological and emotional consequences. There is time to prepare, but the window is limited'.