Mental health issues quadrupled during pandemic, study finds

It's four times higher than in 2017.

Mental health issues have quadrupled since the pandemic began, new research has suggested. A new survey carried out by Kantar research found that over a third of people, 35%, said that they had experienced some form of mental health issue since the start of the pandemic. A similar study was carried out in 2017 and found that the latest survey was four times higher. Nearly half of those asked, 46%, said they would hide a mental health issue from their friends and family, with younger people being more likely to do this than older people. The survey was commissioned by See Change, an organisation that aims to end mental health stigma. This survey comes as they launch the "Green Ribbon" campaign to promote a nationwide conversation about mental health. By wearing the green ribbon, it will show others that you are happy to get involved in a positive conversation about mental health in Ireland. See Changes programme leader Barbara Brennan said: "We want to encourage people to talk about their problems. For this year’s Green Ribbon, we are focusing on the theme of ‘exclusion’ and how it impacts a person’s mental health." She added that there is still such a negative view of mental health in this country, and is hoping that the conversation can be changed into a positive one. Barbara added: "For example, people from marginalised communities with mental illnesses suffer double stigma – the stigma of being associated with the community they are in, as well as the stigma of having a mental health difficulty. We want to eradicate the shame and stigma that these groups still face on a daily basis."