Top Charity Exposes Lockdown’s Shocking Mental Health Cost

Written by John O'Sullivan on February 5, 2021. Posted in Current News

In Britain, a hard-hitting new campaign is pinpointing the shocking mental health damage the pandemic lockdowns are having on the nation. It has been revealed that 4.6 million people are displaying depressive symptom and 80 percent of teenagers now have mental health issues.

Citing official government data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), which is a dataset of:

“Indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) between 11 and 29 November 2020, measuring rates of some form of depression and/or anxiety in adults in Great Britain. Includes breakdowns by personal characteristics, impacts on life and well-being, loneliness and perceptions of when life will return to normal.” [1]

The full dataset can be downloaded here.

The campaign also cites a new report from the private health care company, BUPA [2] which reveals that:

• Three in four 13-19 year olds have experienced physical health issues related to poor mental health since March of last year
•  Half have turned to harmful coping mechanisms – including drink, drugs or self-harm – to alleviate symptoms – the majority feel pessimistic about their future
• 45% of parents admit that they need more guidance on how to talk to their teens about mental health
• With the UK now in its third national lockdown Bupa launches its Teen Minds campaign to support families and children with its mental health services, including a Family Mental HealthLine for health insurance customers.

The BUPA report reveals that:

The mental health toll of the pandemic has left three in four teens experiencing physical health issues including hair loss, digestive problems, migraines, lethargy or weight changes.

Some 4.1² million young people have experienced symptoms of poor mental health over the last ten months – many for the first time¹ according to a new study by Bupa as part of its Teen Minds: Living Through a Pandemic and Beyond campaign. These issues have manifested as physical health issues for 3.9 million³, with many feeling close to breaking point.

With further disruption expected in light of school closures and national lockdown, mental health experts at Bupa are encouraging parents to remain vigilant to the warning signs and regularly check in with their teenage child to see how they’re coping.

Concerns about the impact on academic achievement (73%) and job prospects (70%) after the pandemic are weighing on young people’s minds, particularly among 16-17 year olds⁴ – leading to a majority of teens (57%) not feeling or knowing whether they feel optimistic about their future.

Many teenagers have struggled with being ‘stuck’ in the family home for long periods of time (47%), socialising less with friends (55%) and feeling powerless about their situation (31%).Over half of teens (55%) feel their life is in a state of ‘limbo’, while three in 10 (30%) feel the pandemic means they’re missing out on life.

Pablo Vandenabeele, Clinical Director for Mental Health at Bupa Insurance said: “The impact of the pandemic on mental health has been well documented and teenagers have experienced disproportionate levels of uncertainty during the pandemic, and at an already emotionally turbulent stage in life. It’s worrying to see that their mental and physical health has deteriorated so much over this period. What we have seen, both in our research, and speaking with customers over the course of the pandemic, is that parents find this a big challenge, and they are looking for more support on how to manage discussions about their teenager’s mental wellbeing.

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/datasets/coronavirusanddepressionoranxietyingreatbritain

[2]https://www.bupa.com/newsroom/news/teen-minds-living-through-a-pandemic-and-beyond

About John O’Sullivan John is CEO and co-founder (with Dr Tim Ball) of Principia Scientific International (PSI).  John is a seasoned science writer and legal analyst who assisted Dr Ball in defeating world leading climate expert, Michael ‘hockey stick’ Mann in the ‘science trial of the century‘. O’Sullivan is credited as the visionary who formed the original ‘Slayers’ group of scientists in 2010 who then collaborated in creating the world’s first full-volume debunk of the greenhouse gas theory plus their new follow-up book.

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