Mental health of half of adults negatively affected by cost-of-living

The mental health of nearly half (48%) of people has been negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis, rising to nearly three quarters (73%) for those with an existing mental health problem, according to a new survey from mental health charity Mind.

More than half of people (56%) who say they’ve experienced a negative mental health effect also say the cost-of-living crisis has made them more anxious. Over half are feeling more stressed (55%), nearly half are feeling more depressed (45%), and a third are feeling lonely (33%).

The toll of the cost-of-living crisis on people’s mental health is even worse for those with an existing mental health problem. Two thirds say they are feeling more anxious (66%), stressed (65%) and more depressed (64%), and nearly half are feeling lonely (47%).

Many people who say they have experienced a negative impact are not getting the support they need. More than half (54%) haven’t accessed support from a GP, two thirds (66%) haven’t accessed online mental health information resources, and the majority (71%) haven’t accessed support through a local mental health charity.

The survey was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Mind with a sample of 3,015 respondents across England and Wales – 1,000 in Wales and 2,015 in England – between 24th March and 12th April. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society, and is part of the British Polling Council.

Sunita Thind, 40, from Derby, has experienced anxiety, depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Her mental health problems have, in part, been triggered by her physical health, after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer led to surgical menopause and non-epileptic seizure disorder. The cost-of-living crisis has also seriously impacted her mental health and her ability to access spaces where she can talk about it.

‘The cost-of-living has impacted my anxiety and depressive moods – I can’t work full-time due to my physical health, so I’m always worried about money. It’s awful. The money that I do have coming in goes straight out again on things like bills and food – which are astronomical now – so I don’t have as much left to spend on visiting spaces where I can talk about mental health,’ she said.

‘I still go out and do things, but not as much. I used to see friends more often, but we can’t do things like go shopping or eat at a café anymore. They live far away, so there’s a cost involved in meeting them.’

Mind Chief Executive, Sarah Hughes, said: ‘The uncertainty of watching as our costs spiral can be difficult to bear and having so much to deal with can affect our mental health. Despite this, looking after our mental wellbeing is often last on our list. It’s really important that we all get the support we need – this is a mental health emergency that everyone is going to need help to deal with.

‘We know we can’t fix the cost-of-living crisis but support for your mental health is out there and we are here for you. This includes through Mind’s Infoline, online community, Side by Side and the useful information available on our website.’

Image: Elisa Ventur