Mental Health Risks Among Employed Americans Remain High

New findings from a Mental Health Index report by Total Brain calculated that 54 percent of employed Americans felt depressed between Feb. 3, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and June 28, according to Fox Business . Forty-nine percent of participants are said to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 41 percent are struggling with anxiety, and 11 percent are suffering from addiction. Doctors say the pandemic-induced economic strain is especially worrying, as it can create stress triggered by financial instability. Meanwhile, Americans 60 and older reported a 23 percent improvement in feelings of depression between May and June compared to 25 percent of those 20 to 39. There also are indications of a slight decline (27 percent) in the number of women at risk of depression, while general anxiety disorder among women fell 20 percent between May 3 and June 28, coincident with the reopening of the economy and the school year ending. "Extended stress of this magnitude can take some time to recover from," noted Lawrence Weinstein at the American Addiction Centers. "Stress management tools and other online resources may be the best recourse for some to manage life amidst such unpredictability."