The COVID pandemic has been one of the most globally transformative events in generations. For more than a year and a half now, we have had to wear masks, socially distance, work from home, self-isolate, and do a number of other things to try and protect ourselves and others from catching COVID.

 

Both precautions and COVID itself, however, have occurred side by side with another pandemic ravaging the UK and world at large — namely, a spike in mental health issues. UK organisations such as Samaritans devote themselves to helping those struggling with mental health issues. They actively recruit mental health professionals and volunteers to try to help those who need it most.

A major component of their mission is educating others about mental health issues. So, let’s take a closer look at the mental health situation in the UK post-COVID, what this means, and what you can do to help.

According to a study released by the Office for National Statistics reviewing the state of mental health in the UK from 27th January to 7th March 2021, at least one in five (21%) reported suffering some form of depression.

That figure is up from 19% in November 2020, and more than double the number of those reporting depression before the pandemic (10%).

Women have been more likely to suffer (or at least openly report suffering) some form of depression, with more than 4 in 10 (43%) women between the ages of 16 and 29 doing so, compared to 36% of men in that age group.

Those with disabilities (39%) or considered “clinically extremely vulnerable” (31%) were more likely to experience some type of depression than those who are not disabled (13%) or are not CEV (20%).

Economic factors have also played a role in exacerbating mental health issues during the pandemic.

About 1 in 3 adults (35%) who reported that they were unable to afford an unexpected expense of at least £850 likewise reported depressive symptoms, hinting at the confluence of economic anxiety and general fear and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

This is an increase of 21% reporting anxiety over such costs before the pandemic.

Nearly 3 in 10 adults (28%) living in some of England’s most deprived and economically disadvantaged areas reported experiencing depressive symptoms, which is substantially more than the 17% reporting such mental health issues in the least deprived areas.

This confluence of economic anxiety and COVID-induced depression continue into worries over one’s employment status.

We have all seen and heard much about the millions laid off or otherwise unable to work due to entire industries being ravaged or forced to shutter due to COVID.

A whopping 40% of unemployed adults reported feeling some form of depression, more than double those who are employed or self-employed (19%).

What’s more, those already economically vulnerable have been hit hardest, with working adults between the ages of 16 and 64 making less than £10,000 reporting the highest rates of depression or depressive symptoms (37%) across all income groups.

By contrast, only 1 in 10 adults earning £50,000 or more reported depressive symptoms.

Exacerbating this further is the fact that while rates of depression and mental illness have gone up during the pandemic, care for these conditions has in many cases decreased.

According to a study published in February 2021, “There were substantial reductions in primary care contacts for acute physical and mental conditions following the introduction of restrictions” in the UK following the onset of COVID.

The article asserts that this was likely due in large part to a case of needs being left unmet, which it speculates could lead to short and long-term implications “for severe physical and mental health conditions.”

To that end, it noted evidence for contact and care for cases of mental illness and related illnesses such as anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The study notes that primary care contact dropped to a great extent after large-scale restrictions were introduced to combat the pandemic in March 2020.

By July, the study noted large drops in care for anxiety and depression.

Further, the Lancet study cites another paper published in the British Journal of Psychiatry which notes that the frequency of abuse, self-harm, and ideation, and thoughts about suicide rose during the start of the pandemic.

This increase was especially notable among women as well as Black and Asian Britons and other ethnic minorities as well as those suffering from a disability, economic problems, and unemployment, all of whom are at-risk groups we’ve already noted above.

What’s worse, less than half of those affected by these conditions and in need of formal support received it.

In many cases, these at-risk individuals were not even able to obtain informal forms of support, making them even more vulnerable.

While these figures are concerning, one key thing we can take away from them is that those suffering from mental health issues in the wake of the pandemic are in dire need of guidance.

According to the NHS, there are several steps that you can take to deal with depression and mental health issues during and after the COVID pandemic, including:

• Take it slow, step by step. Resist the urge to rush into everything. As important as it is to socialise, it’s just as important to make sure that you feel confident and not overwhelmed while doing so.

• Try not to shut yourself in entirely. While you want to make sure that you take appropriate precautions and not put others or yourself in harm, shutting yourself in entirely can lead to depression or increase existing depressive symptoms.

• Give yourself adequate time to relax and clear your mind. Between work (or a lack thereof, in the case of those dealing with furloughs and unemployment) and the pandemic, it can be easy to obsess over these negative factors and stress yourself out. However, hard as it may be, taking your mind off these issues for at least an hour or two per day can help ease the mental and emotional pressures you face.

• Make sure that you’re getting information from factual sources. There is far too much misleading and outright false misinformation being spread about COVID. This has led to everything from anti-semitic attacks linked to conspiracy theories to people eschewing vaccinations, masks, social distancing, and other measures intended to protect yourself and others from becoming ill. Spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories can also worsen anxieties and falsely stoke anger, inflaming tensions and worsening mental health situations.

• Talk to others. This is one area in which groups such as Samaritans truly shine. They help give people in need a listening sympathetic ear, which can be immensely helpful in allowing people to unburden themselves. Sometimes just having someone listen, understand, or at least care can go a long way towards improving your mental health. Samaritans has also launched a self-help app for those needing to express and keep track of their feelings.

• Attempt to reconstruct or reinvent your routine where possible. One of the biggest causes of anxiety and mental health issues throughout the pandemic and as we come out of it has been the disruption of routines. If you are someone who is very set in their ways and relies on their routine for a sense of calm and stability, this disruption can be highly disturbing. As such, you should try to revive parts of your routine however possible. Even something such as going to bed and waking up at the same time as before the pandemic can help create a sense of normalcy, which can ease feelings of anxiety and uncertainty.

• Great works of journaling self-reflection and humanity have been penned amidst historic uncertainty and tragedy, from Samuel Pepys’s diary recounting the Great Plague and Great Fire of London to Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Woman during the Holocaust. Even if your diary isn’t a literary landmark or masterpiece, it can help you externalise and deal with your feelings.

• Try out some meditation. Meditation and mindfulness is becoming an increasingly popular method of managing stress, dealing with anxiety, and breaking down problems and focusing on your self-awareness. The ultimate goal for practising mindfulness and meditation is to reach a level of ‘inner peace’ and relaxation. Being able to guide yourself into this mental state by following guided meditation videos/audio can give you the tools that you need to be able to deal with stressful situations in the future.

If someone is suffering with mental health issues in the workplace, it can often be hard to see if someone is going through a difficult time at all.

In larger companies, ensuring that you keep up with a certain standard of compassion and a level of care for your employees can be challenging. 

Coming into the office and following a set routine in a safe environment can be extremely helpful for employees who may not have a stable life at home and would prefer to work in the office as opposed to their living room/office at home. 

Should you choose to maintain a physical premises for your employees to come back to, in a post-pandemic world, safety is going to be a major consideration when making adjustments to your office space.

Making sure that sanitary products such as hand-sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes, and cleaning stations are available to all employees goes without saying in today’s day and age.

However, with office attendee’s becoming more and more aware of their own hygiene and the cleanliness standards of their workplace (such as the hundreds of workers at the DVLA in Swansea going on strike in protest of the Coronavirus related safety measures), it is vitally important to demonstrate an elevated level of care and consideration for people’s health and safety.

Steriliser Units are a unique and innovative way to sanitise the workplace which will ensure the safety of your staff members whilst also providing an effective method of minimising the risk of spreading any viruses throughout the office.

Lucid Support takes the Health and Safety of their staff very seriously and has implemented a number of safety precautions for those who wish to come back into the workplace instead of working remotely.

Regardless of the reason, it is essential for a business to cater to the needs of their employees wherever possible. 

If you would like to find out more about how you can sterilise your office space to create a safe environment for your employees, we have partnered with Sterilised Spaces to answer some questions office owners have about a safe working environment post-pandemic or you can take a look at our case study about a recent implementation of the sterilisation device.

If you want to help those in need of mental health assistance in the wake of the COVID pandemic (or hope to receive help yourself while helping others in a manner of mutual support) groups such as Samaritans can be a lifesaver.

They are a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping those with mental illness. You can call them day or night at 116 123 and get the help you need, or volunteer to give help. Samaritans and similar groups are looking to increase recruitment for volunteers.

The epigram to E.M. Forster’s Howards End reads “Only Connect.” Connection is indeed vital for corporations and individuals in these trying times. Companies can make use of psychometric assessments to help gauge whether their employees need help, and organisations such as Samaritans can give it to those who need it most.

Ultimately, however, good mental health begins with building a support system, and it is down to each of us to look out for one another and be the support that we all need and deserve, both during this pandemic and after.

Written by Lucid Support