Mental health charity Jigsaw has warned of a large increase of young people accessing their services as a result of the pandemic.
The charity’s annual report revealed that Jigsaw had received its highest ever number of referrals in the past year from young people, while demand for appointments had risen by almost 25 %. Many young people using Jigsaw’s services have reported symptoms such as low mood, depression, and increased feelings of anxiety and isolation.
Financial difficulty is one of the greatest contributing factors towards poor mental health in young people, according to the report’s results. The charity’s management have said that both the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis have contributed towards larger numbers of people accessing mental health services.
