More than half of young take time off with mental health

Gerry Gajadharsingh writes:

“Assuming the data is correct, an astounding number of young people are taking time away from work with mental health problems. Among 16 to 24-year-olds questioned for a survey, 56 per cent said that they needed time off because of stress, anxiety and depression. Among staff aged 45-54 the figure was 33 per cent and it was 12 per cent among over-55s. The survey of 2,000 adults also found a third of young adults, contemplating giving up work because of mental health problems.

The boomers will conclude that the younger generation are not so resilient, the Millennials and Gen Z will conclude their life is just simply more stressful.

No doubt, the reasons why, are complicated, but the end results is the effect on the individual and the effect on the state with a massive increase in the taxpayer funded benefits system.

Last week ministers said that hundreds of thousands of people with mental health problems would be told to look for work that they can do from home, to fill job vacancies and cut the benefits bill.

 Work can often be an important part of recovering from mental health illness as it gives us focus and adds value and self-worth. Strategies trying to deal with this, with individuals taking responsibility for their own mental health, understanding the factors that contribute towards it and putting in place strategies that support their mental health have got to be worthwhile.

Official figures show that 2.8 million people are off work because of illness, and half have depression, stress or anxiety. Office for National Statistics figures show that since 2019 the number of economically inactive workers who have depression, stress or anxiety has risen by 40 per cent to 1.35 million.

In the past couple of decades there has also seen a continuous increase in symptoms suggested by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). National population surveys reflect an increase in the prevalence from 6.1% to 10.2% in the period from 1997 to 2016, experts continued to debate and disagree on the course for this trend.

Dr Tony Lloyd, the chief executive of the ADHD foundation, said its own figures suggested a 400% increase in the number of adults seeking a diagnosis since 2020, adding that prescription volumes did not take account of those who do not use medication.

The official definition of ADHD is a persistent pattern of inner attention, and or hyperactivity impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. The adult male to female ratio is 3 to 1, three males for one female. Over 80% of people with ADHD in the UK, don’t have a diagnosis.

Most ADHD medications tend to be central nervous systems stimulants such as amphetamines (otherwise, known as uppers or speed) such as Adderall notoriously used by the Nazis on their armed forces or Ritalin (methylphenidate).

Increasing numbers of students resort to trying to get a diagnosis of ADHD in order to receive medication to support their GCSE, A-level or university grades. This is not without risk with some of them starting to report adverse effect from using inappropriate dosages, ironically, precipitating additional mental health crises.

From my experience, holistic strategies can usually be beneficial for mental health problems. It needs an integrated approach from both a diagnostic and treatment perspective. There are no magic answers or indeed a magic bullet.”

Eleanor Hayward

The Times

More than half of young workers have taken sick leave in the past six months because of mental health problems, research suggests.

Among 16 to 24-year-olds questioned for a survey, 56 per cent said that they needed time off because of stress, anxiety and depression. Among staff aged 45-54 the figure was 33 per cent and it was 12 per cent among over-55s.

The figures are based on a survey of more than 2,000 adults by Unmind, a company that is “on a mission to create mentally healthy workplaces”. It also found that a third of the people it questioned were considering giving up work altogether because of mental health concerns.

Official figures show that 2.6 million people are off work because of illness, and half have depression, stress or anxiety. Experts say that the cost-of-living crisis, higher mortgage rates and long NHS waiting lists for counselling are driving the rise in mental health problems. There has also been a generational shift in attitudes to work and junior employees are more likely to take part in the “quiet quitting” phenomenon, in which they do the bare minimum.

Dr Nick Taylor, chief executive of Unmind, said: “For younger adults the modern workplace can be very isolating. The shift to working from home means they might be working from their bedroom in shared accommodation, on back-to-back video calls. It can be hard to find work-life boundaries.

“There is a perception that young people are soft but actually they have uniquely difficult challenges. Younger people are under the most financial pressure. People in their later years have accumulated wealth and may own a house, which means they can be more resilient in an economic downturn. But if you’re trying to get a foot on the housing ladder, and save up a deposit, that is going to impact wellbeing.”

He said companies needed to do more to foster a workplace culture that supported better mental health, including providing financial advice and promoting exercise and good sleep. “Businesses need to recognise that younger generations are coming in with different anxieties, and adapt to accommodate that group of people, to improve their overall productivity and success,” he said.

The survey also found that employees who owned their own homes were suffering from stress caused by the cost of living and higher mortgage rates. One third said that it was having a negative impact on their ability to focus on work and more than a quarter said that they were experiencing more “brain fog” and subsequently making more mistakes than normal.

Dr Heather Bolton, director of science at Unmind, said: “These results show the profound impact of the cost-of-living crisis on people’s mental and physical health, relationships and work life. Exposure to chronic stress and uncertainty can increase our vulnerability to unhelpful coping behaviours, mental health difficulties and greater feelings of isolation.

“Poor mental health isn’t inevitable when exposed to financial difficulty, and employers can play a key role in protecting their workforce.”

Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that the youth mental health crisis has overturned the traditional pattern of sickness increasing with age. People in their late thirties are three times as likely to have mental health problems that limit their daily lives as those in their late sixties.

Office for National Statistics figures show that since 2019 the number of economically inactive workers who have depression, stress or anxiety has risen by 40 per cent to 1.35 million.

Last week ministers said that hundreds of thousands of people with mental health problems would be told to look for work that they can do from home, to fill job vacancies and cut the benefits bill.