The risk of depression increased 106 per cent for workers in the United States in September, compared to the peak sunshine period in mid-August.
The information is based on a new study powered by Total Brain; the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition – Q3 2022 update explores the fall malaise, which points to a rise in stress, anxiety, and depression for American workers.
“Our data shows that a seasonal pattern of mental health improvement in summer months is consistently followed by emotional and cognitive decline during a season marked by the onset of shorter, darker days,” said Total Brain CEO Matthew Mund in a statement.
Total Brain is a mental health monitoring and support platform. The study was distributed in partnership with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, One Mind at Work, and the HR Policy Association and its American Health Policy Institute.
The report points to a 16 per cent increase in stress from mid-August to September. It also found that the risk of Generalized Anxiety Disorder jumped 44 per cent, while the risk of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was up 61 per cent — all during the same period.
Mund said now is the time for companies to increase communications about the availability of employee-sponsored mental health resources and tools, and to engage workers in “robust discussions about emotional wellbeing.”
National Alliance President and CEO Michael Thompson also chimed in, noting that mental health and stress are not just a product of the pandemic.
In a statement, he said “Employers need to better understand and anticipate the diverse factors that impact the mental wellbeing of their workforce and then try to stay ahead of these trends in their organizational and program strategies.”
More details about the study’s findings are available here.
