Mental Health Crisis 2020

A recent UK study of 16,000 people during lockdown revealed that one in five healthy adults over the age of 25, with no previous history of mental illness, are now experiencing psychological distress. Young people aged 13–24 are also reporting worsening mental health, according to the charity Mind.

In response, the NHS announced in August 2020 that it would recruit more than 1,200 social prescribing link workers to help combat loneliness and isolation. Their role includes encouraging people to engage in activities such as gardening, exercise and ballroom dancing to support emotional wellbeing. While these initiatives are valuable, not everyone has access to a garden, and social activities have become increasingly difficult during periods of restriction and isolation. It seems insufficient that gardening and ballroom dancing, both of which were often restricted during lockdowns were presented as primary ways to address and prevent the growing Mental Health Crisis 2020 and beyond.

Perhaps we also need to look deeper beyond symptoms and temporary coping strategies and consider the origins of emotional distress. Many mental health challenges have roots in childhood experiences. As children, we develop coping mechanisms to help us feel safe in a world that can sometimes feel unpredictable or threatening. Stress, fear and emotional instability during childhood can become deeply embedded patterns that continue into adult life.

So when do we feel afraid? Usually, when we experience repeated stress, emotional pain, uncertainty or a lack of safety. If these experiences occur over long periods, especially during formative years, anxiety can become part of our internal wiring. Modern society often intensifies these feelings. Human connection is increasingly replaced by digital interaction. Many people experience isolation, disconnection, lack of purpose and a diminished sense of belonging. In these conditions, anxiety naturally grows.

Those who experienced calm, nurturing relationships during childhood may find it easier to cope with uncertainty later in life. However, individuals raised in highly stressed environments where emotional presence, stability or connection were lacking may struggle more deeply during times of crisis. Understanding the source of emotional distress matters. Lasting healing often begins not with suppression or distraction, but with awareness, compassion and a willingness to explore what lies beneath the symptoms.

The body’s chemistry also influences mental health. Neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that allow brain cells to communicate, play an important role in emotional wellbeing. GABA, the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, helps calm the nervous system, and low levels are associated with anxiety. Dopamine is linked to motivation, reward and drive. Nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6, folate and niacin are involved in the production of dopamine from its precursors, phenylalanine and tyrosine. Serotonin, often associated with mood regulation, has also been linked to emotional wellbeing.

What does this tell us? Simply that the human body is a remarkably interconnected system. Physical, emotional and biochemical processes constantly influence one another. When one system becomes imbalanced, the effects can ripple throughout the body and mind.

Increasing attention is also being given to the importance of the microbiome, the vast community of microorganisms living predominantly within the digestive tract, and also in the brain, lungs, bladder, blood and reproductive organs. The gut contains trillions of bacteria and an extensive network of nerve cells, often referred to as the second brain. Around 70% of immune activity is associated with the gut, and a significant proportion of serotonin is produced there. Research continues to explore how gut bacteria may influence mood, behaviour and even food cravings through the gut-brain connection. When we eat, we are feeding not only ourselves, but also the microbial ecosystem within us. Diet, stress, sleep, medication and lifestyle all influence this delicate internal balance.

Health is not simply the absence of disease. It is a dynamic balance of structural, chemical, emotional and energetic factors working together in harmony. For example, a person experiencing chronic digestive irritation may also develop nutritional deficiencies due to poor absorption. Long-term stress can further disrupt digestive function, immunity and sleep, while physical symptoms such as lower back pain may emerge alongside emotional strain. In many cases, people seek help from multiple specialists for individual symptoms without fully exploring the underlying patterns connecting them.

This raises an important question: are we merely managing symptoms, or are we searching for root causes? A growing body of research emphasises the importance of homeostasis, the body’s natural ability to maintain internal balance despite external stressors. When this balance is disrupted over time, physical and emotional symptoms can emerge. Emotional stress is now widely recognised as a major contributor to physical illness. That is why self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity. Adequate rest, nourishing seasonal foods, movement, time in nature, sunlight, healthy relationships and meaningful human connection all play essential roles in supporting wellbeing. We also need compassion, freedom, purpose and genuine human contact in order to thrive.

We need to feel to heal.

By nature, the body constantly strives toward balance and repair. The body is always healing, no matter what. Our role is to listen to it and create a way of living that supports wellbeing, allowing life itself to become our greatest medicine. Your daily choices matter. What you eat, how you eat, your daily movement, your connection to nature and other people, daylight exposure, and the way you think can all either support your health or gradually deplete it over time.

Your life and you are the medicine. Always.