According to a survey carried out by the UK Council for Psychotherapy it showed that the mental health of survey respondents improved following mental health support and that a higher percentage had received psychotherapy, counselling, and other talking therapies.

Survey to determine the impact of COVID-19

The survey was carried out by the UK Council for Psychotherapy and YouGov to poll a representative sample of 2,000 UK adults.  The aim of the survey was to determine the impact COVID-19 has had on mental health and have people been able to receive effective mental health support.

Nearly one in five respondents were concerned for their mental health following the lifting of lockdown restrictions and, of those whose mental health was impacted, more than half (57%) encountered barriers to accessing support, citing stigma - including worries that their issue was not serious enough to seek help for and feelings of embarrassment and shame.

Positive impact of psychotherapy on mental health

Crucially, for those who improved following mental health support, a higher percentage had received psychotherapy, counselling, and other talking therapies.  In comparison, mental health smartphone apps, group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and medications other than antidepressants had the lowest percentage of participants who found the support they received improved their health. 

Furthermore, psychotherapy and counselling were both found to be more likely to have positive outcomes than individual CBT and antidepressants, which are two of the most dominant offerings across NHS services.  These figures demonstrate how vital it is to increase the range of mental health treatments available through the NHS, including significantly expanding the choice of talking therapies, to increase the possibility of positive outcomes.

To find out more about the UK Council for Psychotherapy and YouGov survey and view the full report, click on the link below.

Click here to see the full report

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