The World Health Organization said today, Wednesday, that the prevalence of anxiety and depression globally increased by 25% in the first year of the “Covid-19” epidemic, and young people were the most affected, according to “Sputnik”.
In detail, a report by the organization highlighted the most affected people, and concluded that people with more severe mental disorders, such as psychosis, and young people with mental disorders, are particularly at risk, Anadolu Agency reported.
It included estimates from the latest Global Burden of Disease study, which show that the pandemic has affected the mental health of young people, and that they are “disproportionately” at risk of suicidal behavior and self-harm, the World Health Organization said.
“The information we now have regarding the impact of the coronavirus on global mental health is just the tip of the iceberg,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“This is a wake-up call for all countries to pay more attention to mental health, and do a better job in supporting the mental health of their populations,” Tedros added.
It was found that women were affected more than men. The report said that people with physical health conditions, such as asthma, cancer and heart disease, were more likely to develop symptoms of mental disorders.