Accessible News

Top storiesNew ZealandPoliticsBusinessEntertainmentSportsWorld

Research suggests Kiwis entered lockdown 2.0 with 'more psychological baggage'

Sunday, 29 August 2021

Dr Susanna Every-Palmer from the University of Otago’s department of psychological medicine said current research suggests New Zealanders are finding lockdown tougher second time around.
Dr Susanna Every-Palmer from the University of Otago’s department of psychological medicine said current research suggests New Zealanders are finding lockdown tougher second time around.

Kiwis entered the current lockdown with “a bit more psychological baggage” and may be doing it tougher this time, according to a leading academic behind a study of the nation’s mental health in the wake of the first lockdown.

Dr Susanna Every-Palmer, from the University of Otago’s department of psychological medicine, conducted a study on Kiwis’ mental health during last year's lockdown, finding almost one-third of participants experiencing moderate to severe psychological distress.

The initial study carried out among 2010 Kiwis between April 15 and 18 (days 19-22 of the 2020 lockdown), found 39 per cent said their level of wellbeing was low.

Sixteen per cent had moderate to high levels of anxiety.

**READ MORE:

* Covid-19: Have we really 'got this', or will disillusion soon set in?

* Covid-19: Lockdown took emotional toll on Kiwis, survey finds

* Youth mental health problems double in 10 years, Covid-19 impact could be 'extensive'

* Coronavirus: Kiwis, please look after your mental health

**

About 6 per cent reported having suicidal thoughts during lockdown and 2 per cent reported suicide attempts.

Every-Palmer told Stuff that the latest study collected data from almost 2000 Kiwis in April 2021, exactly one year on from the last lockdown.

She said that while the data was still being analysed, “what we are seeing is that baseline levels of distress remained elevated, particularly in younger people, even though there were no lockdown restrictions in place at the time of the data collection”.

“This suggests that the country might have entered this current lockdown carrying a bit more psychological baggage than last time round.”

She said one surprise finding from the new data was what she termed “altruistic anxiety”.

“For example, essential workers were more worried that they might pass Covid on and make someone else sick than they were worried about their own safety,” she said.

“This particular anxiety might be alleviated this time round if vulnerable people have vaccinated against Covid.”

She said the data also suggested who will be struggling most during this lockdown: people who have lost jobs and income, unvaccinated people with potential vulnerabilities, those with histories of mental illness, young people and Aucklanders.

These are “more likely to be doing it tough”.

While the 2020 study also found people reporting lockdown “silver linings”, such as increased family time, there are likely to be fewer second time around.

“When we repeated the study, the percentage of people reporting silver linings had reduced from around two-thirds in April 2020 to a half in April 2021,” she said.

“This is consistent with international evidence which often shows a ‘honeymoon’ period of greater social connection and optimism just after a crisis, which tends to fade over time.

“It follows that in this delta outbreak, we may no longer be counting our blessings the same way we did last lockdown.”

Every-Palmer also said people may be suffering from “lockdown fatigue”.

“I don’t think population wellbeing has bounced to ‘normal’,” she said.

“Many of the current stressors are the same as before but with the added burdens of lockdown fatigue and uncertainty around the new risks brought by the delta variant.

“Uncertainty activates the autonomic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response and can contribute to anxiety, irritability, and disrupted sleep.”

Where to get help