REGION – The mental health of young adults in the Noord-Holland Noord region has deteriorated. They suffer significantly more from anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts than two years ago.
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In this region, 45.1% of young adults are at risk of psychological ill health and 56.6% are lonely. This is evident from the 2021 young adult monitor that appeared this week.
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The 2021 Young Adult Monitor is a large-scale online, anonymous survey of nearly 6,000 young adults. The participants filled in questions about their physical and psychological health, well-being, use of substances, sexuality, exercise, loneliness, informal care and finances.
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While some subjects show a positive development, the results for mental well-being are disturbing. Participants experience more psychological complaints than two years ago.
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A quarter of them had thoughts of suicide in the past year, an increase of 6% compared to 2019. Two years ago 20% of young adults indicated that they suffered from a mental illness, this is now more than 24%.
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The possible effects of the corona crisis on the health of the target group were also examined. It is also likely that the circumstances of the past 18 months have played a role in the deterioration of mental health. For example, 39% experience (much) more stress than before the corona crisis and 23% indicate that their stress is caused by the crisis.
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The monitor also shows encouraging results. For example, the use of alcohol and drugs among the target group 16 to 25 years has decreased considerably.
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