(Bloomberg) -- Significantly more Americans experienced depression and anxiety in 2022 than in 2019, even as the disruptions and lockdowns caused by the Covid pandemic eased, according to a new report.
Just over 21% of American adults in 2022 reported experiencing symptoms of depression in the previous two weeks, up 2.9% from three years earlier, according to a report released Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics. Anxiety was reported by 18% of adults in 2022, a 2.6% increase, the data from the National Health Interview Survey found.
Previous studies found the pandemic contributed to stress levels as well as social isolation and loneliness, said lead author Emily Terlizzi, a health statistician at NCHS, adding it’s important to monitor such mental health symptoms to make sure services and interventions are available.
Researchers are still trying to determine the lasting impact from the pandemic, when people had to stay in their homes for weeks to months at a time, separated from loved ones. Many lost their jobs too, adding another layer of distress.
The disruptions weren’t fleeting. Recent data illustrates the invisible scars: In 2023, adults spent far more time alone, and far less time chatting face-to-face or participating in group activities than four years earlier, according to the American Time Use Survey. Social lives also didn’t bounce back in a measurable way, the survey shows.
The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s NCHS shows the symptoms varied by geographic and sociodemographic factors. Young adults aged 18 to 29 were most likely to suffer both anxiety and depression, and decreased with age. Women were harder hit than men, as were those who didn’t have a high school degree, the survey found.
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