The Coronavirus crisis will have many knock-on effects, but one of the biggest – the decline in the nation’s mental health – is already daily headline fodder.
Research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that recent suicidal thoughts had increased from one in 13 to one in 10 respondents since March: that’s the equivalent of an extra 830,000 adults thinking of ending their life.
A mega-survey conducted by Mind, the mental health charity, found that more than half the adult population reported a deterioration in their mental state during lockdown. Even six months on from telling us all to ‘stay at home’ ONS analysis finds almost four in 10 adults reporting high levels of anxiety in October.
The Department of Health in England has said, predictably, that it is increasing investment in mental health services in response. But maybe it shouldn’t. We need to learn from the last few months that addressing the mental health needs of the country is not about an ever-increasing spiral of public service spending.
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