Even before COVID-19 hit, many young people and adults in the U.S. were struggling with mental health problems.
But with lockdowns and social distancing rules, their problems became even more severe. Now, we’re learning just how big this problem is.
The Research on Mental Health
Researchers from several universities got together to look at this issue. They studied data from more than 400,000 people who answered surveys between May 2020 and January 2023.
They found out that during the pandemic, depression rates in adults were three times higher than before. And for young people, they were even higher.
How Depression Was Measured
To measure depression, the researchers used a tool called the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.
This is a common way doctors assess how severe someone’s depression is. They used this tool in 19 different surveys over three years.
Who Was Included in the Study?
The researchers focused particularly on young American adults. They asked about a range of issues, from depression and anxiety to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
They surveyed almost 25,000 people between the ages of 18 and 24.
What the Data Shows
The data showed that during the pandemic, 24% of all Americans met the criteria for moderate depression.
This is much higher than the 8% reported before the pandemic (from 2013 to 2016). For young adults (18-24 years old), the number was a shocking 44%.
The Impact on Young People
David Lazer, a professor who helped write the report, was particularly concerned about the impact on young people.
He noted that almost half of young people showed signs of potential depression. Even as life started returning to normal, these numbers only improved slightly.
Other Findings
The researchers also found that the impact of mental health problems was not the same for everyone. Young women, for example, reported more depression, stress, and anxiety than young men.
Similarly, young people who identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual were more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Changes in Behavior
The data showed that people aged 18 to 24 weren’t avoiding public places or wearing face masks as much as before. But even with these changes in behavior, depression rates didn’t decrease.
Limitations of the Study
While the researchers found a lot of interesting data, they were careful not to say that the pandemic caused the rise in mental health problems.
This is because they didn’t have enough data from before the pandemic to compare with. But one thing is clear: despite life returning to some normalcy, young Americans are still struggling with mental health problems.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health and B vitamins, vitamin D may help prevent depression, and anxiety.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
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