CDC Data: More than 1 in 4 Young Adults Considered Suicide During Coronavirus Pandemic

New data from the Center for Disease Control indicates that more than 25% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 experienced suicidal thoughts in the month of June, an elevated statistic likely a result of the coronavirus epidemic.

11% of the Americans in that age category thought “seriously” about suicide, a large contingent of the demographic.

“Symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April–June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019,” the CDC reported on Thursday.

The data indicates that a massive 47% of Americans ages 18 to 29 experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression during the months of April and May. Rolling surveys indicate that rate is increasing, having crossed more than 50% in June.

The uptick of poor mental health is likely attributable to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic and the accompanying lockdown policies, which still keep everyday life, schooling, sports, and entertainment a thing of the past as the disease continues to spread. Financial hardship is likely integral to the mental health epidemic, with many Americans cut off from working for their livelihood, denied unemployment, and provided with little more than a single $1,200 TrumpBux stimulus check at a moment in which the economy is still largely shut down.

Americans can’t merely disregard the still-pressing threat of the coronavirus, but we must be mindful of the negative externalities inflicted upon society through lockdown policies.

Policy makers need to think seriously about the ramifications of shutdowns and how to properly balance public health and restrictions on everyday life going forward.