CDC Report Shows 5% Increase in Anxiety, Depressive Disorders During COVID Pandemic

CDC Report Shows 5% Increase in Anxiety, Depressive Disorders During COVID Pandemic
Posted on Jun 03 2021
Newsweek

Tennis star Noami Osaka's decision to withdraw from the French Open because of the anxiety she experiences from press conferences has started a broader discussion about mental health, not only for professional athletes but for everyone after a year of enduring a pandemic. A survey from the CDC and the Census Bureau found an increase in the numbers of adults with anxiety and depression. The study found that the percentage of adults with symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5% from August 2020 to February 2021. Ken Duckworth, CMO of NAMI, told the Associated Press that Osaka's decision to publicly discuss her mental health is a positive sign to others who are struggling. "We are moving from mental health and mental illness as a 'they' thing to a 'we' thing," he said. "These are ordinary common human problems. And I firmly believe that isolation and shame directly contribute to people not getting help. I look at a great athlete, an exceptional athlete, as one potential role model," Duckworth said.