The United Kingdom has officially been recognised as the world's second-most depressed country, with a significant increase in people having mental health problems since the pandemic.

According to a recent global poll performed by US non-profit Sapien Labs, the United Kingdom is the world's second most unpleasant place. The survey evaluated responses from 500,000 participants in 71 nations and concluded that the United Kingdom had the world's second-lowest level of good mental health.The United Kingdom has officially been recognised as the world's second-most depressed country, with a significant increase in people having mental health problems since the pandemic. A recent global study performed by the US non-profit Sapien Labs named the United Kingdom as the second most unpleasant nation in the world.

The poll looked at how people's "inner state impacts their ability to function within their life context".Only one country has lower levels of mental health than the UK, with Uzbekistan coming in first.Contrary to expectations, "greater wealth and economic development do not necessarily lead to greater mental well-being," according to study results.The mental health issue worsened during the COVID-19 epidemic, with the UK falling down the list as lockdowns became more common.

Economic instability, physical health concerns, and boredom all led to anxiety and the rising frequency of mental health problems in the UK.The pandemic is not the only cause of an increase in mental health crises in the UK, as a large number of people were already suffering before lockdowns were implemented. Other contributing reasons to the disaster, according to the report, include "obtaining a smartphone at a young age" and "frequently eating ultra-processed food."

The study contended that persons in affluent countries with easier internet access are more likely to have strained relationships, which contributes to the crisis.According to the survey, "fraying of friendships and family relationships, that are typically more prevalent in Internet-enabled populations of wealthier countries," can play a role.The UK scored a terrible score of 49, which is much lower than the global average of 65, indicating a high level of distress among respondents. The UK and South Africa had a similar number of respondents experiencing distress or struggle, at 35%.

According to the research, several countries expected the mental health situation to improve once the COVID-related lockdowns were lifted.According to the report: "The expectation may have been that once the lockdowns lifted and the threat of COVID-19 subsided that our collective mental health would begin a recovery towards its pre-pandemic levels."Instead, the survey discovered that "the effects of diminished global mental wellbeing have become the new normal."

The UK's mental well-being is below countries like Yemen, with a score of 59. Despite economic failures and a cost-of-living crisis, the country ranks 19th in the World Happiness Report 2023, despite many facing mental health crises.