Covid rules followers in UK suffering worst mental issues today: Study
3 Min Read
Experts warn that the damage caused by COVID-19 to mental health in the UK is the biggest reason for the increase in NHS psychological and psychiatric services.
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Britain's former Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts while leading a virtual news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in central London on Jan. 26, 2021. (AP)
Research by academics at Bangor University has found that those who abided by Covid lockdown rules the most seem to be suffering the worst mental health today, such as stress, anxiety and depression.
Those holding “communal” personalities – caring, sensitive and aware of others’ needs – stuck more closely with lockdown restrictions that former PM Boris Johnson and senior medics and scientists recommended.
It was however concluded that those with “agentic” personalities – meaning more independent, more competitive, and like to have control over their lives – were least likely to exhibit mental health symptoms.
Dr. Marley Willegers and colleagues stated that “The more individuals complied with health advice during lockdown, the worse their wellbeing post-lockdown”, adding that “while increasing individuals’ worry of infection can effectively drive compliance, it also has negative consequences on people’s wellbeing and recovery”.
Read more: COVID has taken severe mental health toll: WHO
The researchers based their findings on a study of how compliant 1,729 people in Wales were during the first lockdown from March to September 2020 and measures of stress, anxiety and depression among them from February to May this year.
Time to bounce back to normal
Experts warn that the damage caused by COVID-19 to mental health in the UK is the biggest reason for the increase in NHS psychological and psychiatric services.
The chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, Mark Winstanley, said, “The early days of the pandemic were characterized by significant disruption, uncertainty and a lack of control, factors which can all fuel anxiety and low mood... It’s important to recognize that those who took the greatest steps to protect themselves and others have seen an enduring impact on their mental health.”
“While many want to move on from the pandemic and life under lockdown, its legacy lives with many people to this day, as worries or concerns about our loved ones or the risks to our own health can’t be easily shaken off,” he noted.
Willegers suggested that future government health ad campaigns targeting people's behavior should take into consideration different personality types and adaptations.
“Campaigns need to highlight the personal costs and benefits involved, not just people’s responsibility to others,” he argued.
