HALF of Scots are worried about the impact the cost of living crisis is having on their mental health, new research has found.
A YouGov poll of more than 1,063 adults in Scotland revealed that 52 per cent were concerned about the impact on their own mental health.
Eight in 10 (82%) said they fear that demand for mental health services will increase in the future.
The survey, commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) Scotland, also found that rising energy costs were the leading concern among respondents (85%), followed by rising food costs (79%), and rising debt (31%).
More than a quarter (27%) said they had experienced a new episode of poor mental health over the past year.
READ MORE: Why is England outstripping Scotland on key NHS recovery targets?
The College is calling on the SNP leadership candidates to prioritise mental health, including by reversing the freeze on mental health budgets in 2023/24 and increasing the mental health workforce.
Dr Jane Morris, vice-chair of the RCPsych Scotland, said: “These are deeply worrying statistics and encapsulate the feelings of Scottish people about how the current cost of living crisis is affecting everyone’s mental health.
“From relationship breakdowns to worries about crippling debt and wondering how you’ll pay for the next energy bill or feed your children – these situations are tough and can have an enormous effect on anybody’s mental health.
"There is already plenty of evidence that financial stress is associated with worse physical and mental health.
"The opposite is also true: poor health is likely to lead to impaired financial management.”
Denise McLaren, 37, from Stirling, has a diagnosis of emotional unstable personality disorder and anxiety disorder.
The stress of the pandemic followed by the cost of living crisis left her struggling to cope, but she has recently turned her life around by volunteering at a local foodbank called Ladies of the Rock.
She said: “I’m a face-to-face person – during the pandemic when we went into the second and third lockdown I thought, I can’t do this.
"I need to do something or otherwise I’m going to go back the way. I turned it around and started volunteering at the community foodbank."
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Ms McLaren said the foodbank is now helping up to 80 families a week.
She said: “To say I’m not anxious about the cost of living situation would be a lie – but then I think everyone is really worried about it.
"My mental health is fortunately good at the moment, but I’ve seen what mental ill health can do to someone and it makes me want help others.”
Gabby Quinn, 36, from Dennistoun lives with bipolar symptoms and psychosis, both of which have been made worse by the cost of living crisis.
She currently runs a mental health support group in Glasgow.
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Ms Quinn said: “I think the UK and Scottish Governments need to remember that a lot of people cannot afford to buy themselves lunch and there is a lot of people have never faced mental health challenges before, but now there are a lot of people needing support.
"There needs to be a middle ground between you’re ok - to – I’m in crisis. There needs to be something in place before people get to crisis level.
"It would be a heck of a lot easier on the NHS and a lot better for those suffering from mental ill health in the long run.”
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