Post-pandemic mental ill health evidence ‘the tip of the iceberg’

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Two studies have exposed just how detrimental the Covid-19 pandemic has been for mental health in the UK and beyond, leading to time off work and the rise of conditions including anxiety and depression. However, a health expert has warned this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’.
One in three UK employees took time off work in 2021 because of their mental health, while almost half say their mental wellbeing has declined since the start of the pandemic, according to research by health services provider Westfield Health.
Mental health concerns were particularly prevalent in the south of England; 46% of survey respondents in the South said their mental health has worsened over the past two years, compared with 39% in the North.
People in the South were more likely to take a day off work for their mental health (34%) than those in the North (26%).
Overall, 43% of UK workers said their mental health had worsened since February 2020 and 24% were now anxious about their work.
Kate Platts, research associate at Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, said: “Personal wellbeing throughout the Covid-19 pandemic has been at a 10-year low and, although improvements in life satisfaction and happiness are now being seen, levels of anxiety remain high.
“The nation will take time to recover from the shock of such huge disruptions to everyday life. In August 2021, around three-quarters of those suffering from depression attributed their mental health issues at least in part to the pandemic.”

A global issue

The decline in mental