In a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 63% of 18- to 24-year-olds reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, with 25% using an elevated drug to manage stress, and 25% said suicide would be seriously considered.
“The impact on mental health of the pandemic is much greater on younger adults,” said Dr. Shaker Saxena of The Harvard School of Public Health and a professor in the practice of global mental health courts said. “The figures we have from the U.S. indicate that nearly two-thirds of young adults have symptoms of anxiety or depression or other psychological problems.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 50% of all lifelong mental illnesses develop by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24.
Even when the COVID-19 crisis is over, Saxena explained that 10% of these adults will have long-term consequences from the mental health issues they currently face.
“About one-third may have a problem that is serious enough to affect their lives in terms of their work performance and training,” Saxena said. “It could be a much bigger burden in terms of health and disability.”
Saxena added: “Many people are losing jobs. Some people are earning much less income than before. There is uncertainty about where and what tomorrow will bring, which younger adults face much more than middle-aged or older adults, because it is the time for change in their lives. ‘
The Healthy Minds Network conducted a survey and found that 80% of college students reported that COVID-19 negatively affected their mental health.
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Experts fear that many of those affected do not need the professional help they need, and dr. Sarah Lipson, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Law Policy and Management at Boston University School of Public Health and co-principal researcher at Healthy Minds. Network study, ABC News said experts are trying to quantify it.
“Students of color and low-income students are significantly less likely to seek care if they experience mental health issues due to cost and availability,” Lipson said. “These are also the same students who are less likely to continue and study in higher education. There is a kind of intersection of the outcomes about which we pay so much attention to young adults in this regard.”
The rise of anxiety and depression
Saxena explained how the pandemic is a ‘perfect storm’ that gives rise to uncertainty, resulting from anxiety and loss, which can potentially lead to depression. Many young adults have lost a great deal, especially in terms of education and professional opportunities.
“For people between the ages of 21 and 25, it’s a time of expansion in their lives, with new commitments and new things,” Lipson said. “It’s all stopped. I think it’s a difficult time for parts of life to stand still when there’s normally just this rapid development time where so much is happening socially and professionally.”
“The labor market that young people are entering,” she added, “is very unpredictable, which I think creates a lot of tension.”
Loneliness and social isolation
Mental Health America found that 70% of people reported between April and September last year that loneliness or isolation was the biggest contributing factor to mental health issues. Isolation is the real separation from others, and loneliness is the accompanying feeling.
“One can be lonely despite being with others. Both loneliness and self-isolation give rise to major health consequences, and the communication around the need for distance in the pandemic was very unfortunate,” he said. Saxena said.
He said that social distancing should actually be called physical distance, apart from social commitment.
“People are being forced to do this because there are rules in place,” he added. “The effort, however, must be to be as connected as possible.”
Jordan Corcoran, a lawyer and founder of Listen Lucy, a mental health organization, was diagnosed at 19 with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, and, now 33, she describes the pandemic as very challenging.
“I feel like I work every minute of the day to keep my anxiety at bay,” Corcoran said. “Isolation is a big part of dealing with mental illness.”
Even after Corcoran got help and chose to plead for others struggling with mental disorders, she still faces her own battles every day.
“The world puts all these obstacles in front of me. I do not know how long I can still do it,” Corcoran explained. “I go in every day with my mental health. It’s part of my survival as part of my journey.”
What can be done
Saxena said that tensions in the workplace – overworked employees, which may or may not be linked to dismissal or restructuring of the company – make a major contribution, and that employers can help.
“They need to be aware that people are going through stress and possibly undergoing mental disorders,” he said. “It should be covered as well as part of the benefit package as any physical problem. If you are an employer and your employee needs help in terms of counseling and psychiatric help, they should be encouraged, supported and funded in order to “This is a best practice that is needed now more than ever.”
Lipson also said she believes university campuses should offer more mental health resources and need training for faculty members so that they can better understand potential mental health problems among students.
“I think schools need to think about expanding a campus’ mental health system to include a wider range of resources, and to invest in them, as opposed to just more and more staff in a counseling center,” Lipson said. “This is an imbalance that is going to persist and increase in terms of the number of students needing services and the availability of counselors.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME at 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565 -8860 (USA) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.
The video in the media player above was used in a previous report.
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