UK poll finds young people's mental health hit by coronavirus

More than 80% of young people with a history of mental ill health have found their conditions have worsened since the coronavirus crisis began in the UK, a survey has found.

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In a study by the mental health charity YoungMinds, 2,111 people aged under 25, who had a history of mental health needs, were asked how the pandemic had affected them.

Of the 83% who said the pandemic had made their mental health worse, 32% said it had made it “much worse” and 51% said it had made it “a bit worse”.

The survey was carried out during a period of immense change, between 20 March, when UK schools were closed to most students, and 25 March, when further restrictive measures had been put in place.

Among the respondents who were accessing mental health support leading up to the crisis – including from the NHS, school and university counsellors, charities, helplines and private providers – 74% said they were still receiving support and 26% said they were unable to access support.

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Among those who could no longer access support, some said they had been affected due to the closure of schools, not being able to attend peer support groups or because face-to-face services could not be done online or over the phone. Others had been offered remote support but were concerned about privacy, access to technology or felt anxious about speaking on the phone or via video calls.

When the charity asked respondents what had impacted their mental health the most, the loss of routine and social isolation were the most commonly cited factors.

Emma Thomas, the chief executive of YoungMinds, said the pandemic was a “human tragedy that will continue to alter the lives of everyone in our society. The results of this survey show just how big an impact this has had, and will continue to have, on the mental health of young people.”

Tom Madders, the director of campaigns at YoungMinds, said: “Although respondents support and understood the steps the government has taken to restrict movement, certain activities and routines were important coping mechanisms for many of them. Without them, some were concerned that they were more likely to use negative coping strategies.”

Madders also suggested that maintaining a connection with family and friends, even through social media, could be beneficial but social media access should be controlled.

“Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends,” he said, “but can also induce anxiety, especially if your feed includes constant news updates. It’s important that young people know that they can control their feed by unfollowing or muting the accounts that might make them feel worse.”

Jacob, 22, a YoungMinds activist, said his panic attacks had returned for the first time in three years and he had also had difficulty sleeping and eating. “My counsellor is continuing my weekly sessions online and it’s invaluable to have that time to talk through my anxieties and help me rationalise them,” he said.

“I’m talking to my friends and family about how I’m feeling which is helping and also limiting the amount of news I watch or read, and baking or being creative instead.”