Coronavirus: One in five depressed most or all of the time

A fifth of Australians say they feel depressed ‘most’ or ‘all’ of the time, according to a new weekly survey.

The survey follows a growing list of indicators showing widespread anxiety about the economic and social effects of the coronavirus, and the impact of the government’s response to it. Picture iStock

A fifth of Australians say they feel depressed “most” or “all” of the time, according to a new, weekly survey that will track attitudes to the coronavirus crisis.

Most respondents to the new periodic survey, to be conducted by the Melbourne Institute: ­Applied Economic & Social ­Research, expect to weigh on the economy heavily for more than six months.

The survey of about 1200 households also found that about 60 per cent of people were ­moderately to strongly supportive of the government’s handling of the ­crisis.

“Notwithstanding various income support schemes and expanded mental health services, close to 30 per cent of respondents said they were financially stressed and around 20 per cent said they felt depressed and anxious for a lot of the time over the past week,” said lead researcher Guay Lim.

The survey follows a growing list of indicators showing widespread anxiety about the economic and social effects of the coronavirus, and the impact of the government’s response to it.

A Yougov survey, published in the Herald Sun on Thursday, suggested one in four relationships were under strain, while about half of all people were feeling isolated and 57 per cent stressed.

It also found about 40 per cent of people were only somewhat clear, or completely unclear, about what was allowed under current restrictions.

 

More conventional indices of consumer confidence have crashed to their lowest levels over the past month. Westpac’s closely watched monthly gauge fell ­almost 18 per cent in April, the biggest fall in its 47-year history.

“A key question for policymakers is whether the level of ­support for the economically and socially disadvantaged is ­adequate,” Professor Lim said.

“Timing the reawakening of the Australian economy from the expected prolonged state of corona­virus hibernation is also critical,” he added.

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