The coronavirus crisis has not only rocked the UK over the last two years, but it has also significantly impacted the whole world. After extended periods of lockdowns and restrictions, people all over the globe have had to make serious sacrifices, often missing out on birthday and Christmas celebrations and family gatherings, and suffering serious consequences to their physical and mental health.
Not only this, but the UK has suffered over 160,000 deaths due to COVID-19 and related complications. This has meant that many of us have had to face a reality in which we have lost loved ones through the duration of the pandemic.
It is no surprise, then, that over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a notable deterioration in the mental health and wellbeing of the overall population of the UK. That is to say that depression and anxiety in the UK has significantly increased.
What demographic saw the greatest increase in people seeking therapy through the coronavirus pandemic?
One of the demographics hardest hit psychologically by the pandemic is children under 18 years of age. It has been reported that there has been a surge in mental health cases in children and adolescents. This study quotes a massive 30% increase in calls for 24/7 crisis lines compared to before the pandemic began.
The increase in child and adolescent mental health cases in children is likely at least partially attributable to the lack of physical schooling during the pandemic, as online classes don’t offer the same activities and opportunities to socialise and improve wellbeing.
The same can be said for many people who have had to work from home. When combined with under 18s, overall mental health referrals to psychological therapies in the UK has gone up by a huge 280% since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
How have mental health services coped during the pandemic?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or even halted critical mental health services in around 93% of countries throughout the world. In fact, 67% of people have found disruptions to their counselling and psychotherapy services. As these service disruptions were occurring at the same time as overall demand for mental health services increasing, this has caused a major problem worldwide.
Due to this, mental health professionals are in high demand worldwide. In addition to this, the coronavirus itself can cause people to have long lasting mental health issues. Therefore, the increase in demand for therapists is not only to deal with the increased demand for mental health and therapy services, but to also deal with the backlog of patients that have been affected by disruptions to their services.
How do I train to be a therapist during the pandemic?
If you would like to train to be a therapist, or undertake continued professional development (CPD) within a related field, then you might be concerned about attending physical classes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. However, services providers like Nscience can help make available therapist training that is led by professionals online, with workshops, seminars, and lectures all available through video conferencing and webinars.
This ensures that you can get the training you need, while also reducing the risk of spreading the coronavirus. All the while, it allows you to play your own part in helping the UK to better deal with the significant increase in people seeking therapy.