Years after Covid, mental health problems still on the rise

Nearly every generation is reporting big increases in mental health problems, and it’s a rise that hasn’t stopped two years after the end of the Covid pandemic. Bryan Hubbard reports

You could blame the mental health crisis on the Covid-19 pandemic and all the lockdowns and social isolation we endured because that was when it seemed to explode. More of us needed help to cope with depression, anxiety and other mental disorders, and a disproportionately high number were young people.

But if the pandemic was the trigger, the trend has continued since its official end in 2023. Every month, more and more of us are seeking therapy for some mental problem, and most worryingly this includes Generation Alpha, children aged 15 years and younger.

Analysts from QR Code Generator have been sifting through the data from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) that reveals the growing mental health crisis, but it’s a phenomenon repeated around the world.

They found that the number of people seeking help for their mental health has risen by 21 percent in the past three years, with the biggest increase in the past year among Gen Z, people aged 16–29. Overall, 2.12 million Britons had approached the NHS for mental healthcare by last April.

One of the most worrying aspects of the trend is the rise in cases among Gen Alpha, which has seen a 21 percent increase in the need for mental healthcare in the past three years.

But it’s not a problem that just affects young people. There was an 18 percent rise among Gen X, people aged 45–59; around 264,000 people accessed mental health services by last April. The Baby Boomers, aged 60–79, saw a modest rise of 7 percent over the past three years, but it was an increase nonetheless.

The biggest increase occurred among millennials, aged 30–44. About 435,000 sought help, representing a 35 percent rise in three years.

But what’s driving the phenomenon? In part, it can be explained by a growing awareness of mental health issues and the near disappearance of the stigma surrounding problems such as depression. Among children, there has been a greater recognition of learning and behavioral problems, such as autism and ADHD, which can also lead to mental health issues.

But these factors still don’t give us the full story. As the song puts it, there’s something going on, but we don’t know what it is.

Source: QR Code Generator

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