The pandemic has caused difficulties for everyone, and the lockdowns have meant many people have missed important milestones with friends and family, and leaving many feeling like they are just existing rather than living.
It has had a detrimental effect on the mental health of the nation too, with one recent report saying that during the last lockdown, 43 per cent of young women, aged between 16 and 29-years-old, experienced some form of depression between 27 January and 7 March of this year, according to The Guardian.
For young men, this figure was 26 per cent, and the report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the rates were higher for renters than homeowners, at 31 per cent compared to 13 per cent.
Also, 39 per cent of disabled adults experienced some form of depression, compared to non-disabled adults, with 13 per cent.
However, the ONS report also shows that GPs in England diagnosed fewer cases of adult depression in 2020 than in 2019, despite more people experiencing symptoms. This suggests that many people were not accessing medical help during the pandemic.
Mental health charity Mind says that this new report matches up with their research, which found that 68 per cent of young people saw a deterioration in their mental health during the very first lockdown. The charity stresses that it’s important people get help.
Stephen Buckley, head of information at Mind, said: “The fact that GP-diagnosed cases of adult depression have fallen during the pandemic suggests people are not going to their GP for help, perhaps because they’re concerned about placing extra pressure on the NHS.
“This is worrying because we know that left untreated, mental health problems become more difficult and expensive to treat.”
He added that if you notice changes to your thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are affecting your daily life that lasts longer than two weeks, or keeps returning, then it is important to talk to someone you trust, especially your GP, who can let you know if you have a common mental health problem, such as depression or anxiety, and help find you the support you need.
If you’re looking for depression counselling, get in touch today.