May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The issue has been front and center in the news more recently because of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and other factors that have negatively impacted our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
Mental health challenges affect people of all ages. According to a study released this spring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 37% of teens reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two consecutive weeks in the previous 12 months. In an earlier study, the CDC found symptoms of anxiety and depression occurred in about 41% of adults during the pandemic.
Loneliness and mental health
Loneliness is a major contributor to the mental health crisis, and it’s one area where we as a community can fight back. According to Forbes, many people are lonely and lack adequate social support. A poll of about 1,200 people by YouGov found that 27% of Millennials have no close friends, and 22% report they have no friends at all. Fifteen percent of Gen X and 9% of Baby Boomers also report having a lack of close friends.