Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a third of Americans are now showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, according to Census Bureau data detailed by The Washington Post.
The data revealed that 24% showed clinically significant symptoms of major depressive disorder and 30% showed symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
The Post noted that before the pandemic, 25% of adults in the U.S. experienced a depressed mood. But during the pandemic, 50% experienced a depressed mood.
According to the newspaper, the data is a result of the Census Bureau launching an emergency weekly survey of U.S. households at the end of April to measure the pandemic’s effects on employment, housing, finances, education and health.
About 1 million households were contacted and more than 42,000 responded.
In the twenty minute survey, officials used four questions taken nearly word-for-word from a form used by physicians to screen patients for anxiety and depression.
Mississippi led all states, with 48% of adults showing symptoms of anxiety or depression. Iowa had the smallest percentage, with 26% of adults showing symptoms.
The respondents were also asked how often over the last seven days have they have been bothered by not being able to control or stop worrying?
Sixty-eight percent of those making $25,000 or less worried at least several days, compared to 32% who did not worry at all. However, only 40% those making $150,000 or more worried at least several days, compared to 60% who didn’t worry at all.
Meanwhile, experts have said they feared a spike in suicides may follow with millions of American restricted to their homes and many losing their jobs due to the coronavirus.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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