GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) A new study from the GlobalWebIndex shows U.S. adults are worried about the negative long-term effects the pandemic will have on mental health.

According to the study, 28% of Millennials, and 29% of Gen X adults believe the pandemic will have long-term impacts on their mental health.

GlobalWebIndex

Data trends also show a steady increase in adults suffering from anxiety, stress, and depression over the past year.

In addition to anxiety and stress, many adults have indicated that insomnia is also in play.

Dr. Nathan Harper, the Medical Director for Inpatient Psychiatry at Vidant Medical Center and ECU says he and colleagues have seen an increase, especially over the last couple of months, of patients coming in for mental health needs and services.

He says, interestingly, they haven’t only seen an increase in mental health in adults, but in children and young adults as well. Dr. Harper says isolation due to quarantine plays a big role in exasperating those conditions. He also says the lack of access to mental health services may also play a big role.

Lack of access to inpatient care during the height of the pandemic, technological issues, having appointments over the phone, and more could have attributed to feelings of stress and anxiety.

The study also examined adults who experienced anxiety, stress, and insomnia from one year to the next. This is what they found:

Anxiety

  • 40 percent of Gen Zs said they experienced anxiety in the past 12 months when asked in Q1 2021, up from 38 percent in Q2 2020. 
  • 32 percent of Millennials said they experienced anxiety over last year when asked in Q1 2021, up from 28 percent in Q2 2020. 
  • Gen Xs have also experienced an increase in anxiety since Q2 2020: 28 percent said so in Q1 2021 compared to 24 percent in Q2 2020. 

Stress

  • 43 percent of Gen Zs in Q1 2021 said they had experienced stress in the past 12 months – rising from 40 percent in Q2 2020. 
  • 39 percent of Millennials reported experiencing stress in Q1 2021, up from 36 percent in Q2 2020. 
  • More Gen X adults in the US have also reported experiencing stress: 38 percent said so in Q1 2021, up from 35 percent in Q2 2020. 

Insomnia

  • Gen X adults are losing more sleep now than when asked in Q2 2020: 23 percent said they have experienced insomnia in the past 12 months in Q1 2021, rising from 18 percent in Q2 2020. 
  • 20 percent of Gen Zs and 18 percent of Millennials say they have experienced in the past year, compared to 20 and 16 percent, respectively, in Q2 2020.

For more on the study: GlobalWebIndex