According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, on March 2, local time, the World Health Organization said that people with mental illness are one of the main victims of the new crown pandemic, with anxiety and depression worldwide. Cases have increased by more than 25% during the outbreak.
WHO says in a new briefing on the topic that in many settings, health crises significantly impede the functioning of mental health services and lead to an increase in suicidal behaviour ‘s concerns.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the impact of the new crown epidemic goes far beyond the death and disease caused by the virus itself, taking a heavy toll on people’s mental health.
This document, based on extensive research, shows that in 2020, major depression and anxiety disorders increased by 27.6% and 25.6%, respectively, worldwide.
Dr Brandon Gray from WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Psychoactive Substance Use, who coordinated the survey, said: “This is a very significant increase. Mental health and well-being have had a major impact. Logically, the countries most affected by the pandemic will see the largest increases in mental illness rates in 2020. Women are more affected than men, and younger people, especially those aged 20-24 People are more affected than older age groups.”