Almost 20% of England’s population will need mental health support as a result of Covid-19, charity warns
- Centre for Mental Health charity releases new model predicting impact on mental health due to COVID-19
- Up to 10m people will need new or additional mental health support
- Manchester sufferer of BPD says he feels 'abandoned' by the NHS
Up to 10m people including a large chunk of children and young people will need additional mental health support as a “direct consequence” of the pandemic, says the Centre for Mental Health.
The forecast is based on the “best available evidence” to predict how many people may need mental health support due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The figures have been released at a time when mental health services have taken a big hit, with fewer services available in the Manchester area.
NEW: Our latest forecast indicates that up to 10 million people (almost 20% of the population) will need mental health support as a result of #Covid19: https://t.co/3tLhxmIFVk #CovidMHImpact pic.twitter.com/7h9PU7VDwV
— Centre for Mental Health (@CentreforMH) October 1, 2020
One group of sufferers most affected are those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a mental health issue that deals with feelings of emptiness and the fear of abandonment.
One 22-year-old sufferer of BPD – who did not wish to be named – said: “Everyone’s mental health has been so intricately impacted by the lockdown.
“I feel abandoned by the mental health services. If it wasn’t for the fact that I am on medication, then I don’t know how I would have coped.”
Another sufferer of BPD, who lives in central Manchester, stated that they were referred to a specialist service in September 2019 but did not receive an appointment until April 2020 and this was rescheduled due to coronavirus.
Chief economist Nick O’Shea writes: “A proactive, timely, compassionate and effective response will help people experiencing mental health difficulties before they reach crisis point.”