Aftershock - Mental Health

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This report series prepared in partnership with the New South Wales Council of Social Services, Aftershock: Addressing the Economic and Social Costs of the Pandemic and Natural Disasters, explores the impacts of the pandemic and natural disasters across several key domains of wellbeing – domestic violence, mental health, child welfare and development, and housing security. The aim is to document the huge personal and economic impacts which, if left unaddressed, will leave a long-term mark on the economy of NSW and its people.

In this report, the first in the series, we look at mental health, drawing together the research and latest data to highlight the devastating impacts of the past two and half years. New analysis and modelling from Impact Economics and Policy finds that:

Between 2018 and 2021 there was a 46 per cent increase in the number of 12-17-year-old females presenting for self-harm or suicidal thoughts.

In 2021 there was an estimated increase of 171,615, or 21 per cent more people with self-reported mental health consistent with depression or anxiety.

The Guardian covered the report in this article.