Requests for mental health support jump 500% since COVID

Requests for help with mental health issues have increased by about 500 per cent since the start of the pandemic, according to the Richmond Foundation. 

The NGO, which focuses on mental health and provides free services for those in need said people were initially experiencing anxiety but were now dealing with issues related to pandemic fatigue.

It received 4,500 requests for help in 2020 and 7,000 appeals for help so far this year.

That compares to previous years, where the NGO typically received some 400 to 600 requests per year - an increase of around 500 per cent.  

Costs soar

Launching a fundraising campaign on Thursday, Chief Operating Officer Daniela Calleja Bita said the NGO needs some €200,000 to cover operating costs. 

She said that when COVID-19 first hit Malta in 2020, people were requesting help to deal with experiencing anxiety and the fear of the unknown, however, this changed as the situation continued to deteriorate.

"Lately, in the past few months, it’s been pandemic fatigue," she said.

"There is a multitude of things going on. We believe requests are likely to increase given we are still in a pandemic and it is likely that more people will start experiencing...