2nd Feb 2021
Emotional and mental wellbeing struggles continue
During the festive season, similar proportions of people struggled with their mental health compared to late November. Specifically, as of the week before Christmas:
- Over half (51%) of the Scottish population had felt anxious or worried in the previous two weeks because of the pandemic. Women (59%), full-time students (61%), single parents (63%) and those who have a pre-existing mental health condition (69%) were population groups who appeared to be feeling more anxious or worried
- Almost a quarter of people (24%) reported feeling lonely in the previous two weeks
- Feelings of loneliness were higher amongst younger people, too, with 36% and 37% of people aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34, respectively. Feelings of loneliness have been consistently higher across all waves for young people than in the general population
- Loneliness levels were also higher in unemployed people, full-time students, single parents and people with pre-existing mental health conditions
- Like Wave 8 (late Nov), seeing family freely (25%) or seeing friends freely (16%) were highlighted as ways that would help alleviate people’s feelings of loneliness
- One in five (20%) of the population reported feeling hopeless, and over half (52%) reported feeling frustrated in the previous two weeks
COVID-19 restrictions continue to have a relentless impact on people’s abilities to cope
In general, 65% of people feel they are coping with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-related stress very well or fairly well. Levels of coping with the COVID-19 restrictions and their effect on their mental health are only slightly higher than in November (63%).
Specifically, as of late December:
- Those who reported not coping with this stress well (17% overall); those 18-24yrs (26%), the unemployed (30%); and those who have a pre-existing mental health condition(s) (34%) were more likely to be less likely to be coping
- Almost half (47%) reported that they feel worried about being able to cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic
What is helping people cope with the stress of the pandemic?
- For over half (53%) of the population, going for a walk outside helped them cope with the stress of the pandemic in the last two weeks. This has mostly been the top method of coping throughout the study’s 9 Waves
- Being able to visit green spaces helped over a third (39%)
- Doing a hobby also helped a third (34%)
- Contacting family (45%) and friends (41%) also helped people cope with the stress of the pandemic
- Contacting family was the top coping method for those over 70 years old (63%), for people with a pre-existing mental health condition (43%) and single parents (46%)
- Limiting exposure to COVID-19 news (30%) and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (29%) (e.g. balanced diet, enough sleep, exercise etc.) were also cited as popular coping method to cope with the stress of COVID-19
However, less helpful coping strategies have risen since late November. Specifically, as of December:
- 21% of the population said they were drinking more alcohol to cope with the pandemic's stress in the last two weeks. This is compared to 17% in wave eight
- The amount who stated they had eaten too much to cope with the pandemic's stress had risen slightly in this wave to 36%
The Scottish population continues to feel concerned and worried:
- Over half (52%) are worried about becoming ill with COVID-19, and almost two-thirds (63%) are worried about passing on COVID-19 if they become sick with the virus
- Almost a third (29%) worry about worsening their existing mental health difficulties
- Over a quarter (28%) have financial concerns
- Over half (55%) are worried about being separated from their family and friends
Worries about their child(ren) continue to be present too:
- Nearly half (44%) are worried about the mental health of their child(ren) and how the pandemic is affecting this
- Over a fifth (22%) are worried about looking after their child(ren) in case they get sick
- Parents are more worried about how their child(ren)’s social development is being impacted (33%) as opposed to their educational development (23%)
People anticipate a negative long-term impact of the pandemic on their future and the future of others
Feelings of uncertainty about the future have risen since late November. Specifically, as of December:
- Over half (56%) of adults are worried their future is going to be worse because of the pandemic
- Two-thirds (65%) of adults are concerned that the future of others their age is going to be worse
- The proportions of adults who are worried about their future are higher for people aged 18-24 (66%), those with pre-existing mental health conditions (63%) and full-time students (75%)
Suicidal thoughts
- The proportion of people who had experienced suicidal thoughts or feelings in the previous two weeks was 13%, slightly decreasing from 14% in wave eight
- Figures were highest for unemployed people (31%), people with a pre-existing mental health condition (29%), single parents (25%), full-time students (25%) and people aged 18-24 (23%)
- 10% who said they experienced these thoughts said they experienced them once or more a day
- 6% of people aged 18-24 reported that they had deliberately hurt themselves, which was a slight decrease from 8% in wave eight
- 6% of unemployed people and 8% of people with a pre-existing mental health condition reported that they had deliberately hurt themselves
