An agency helping Cantabrians with mental health problems is starting to see an increase in inquiries from those who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.

The normalisation of mental health problems means there is an increased willingness to seek help, Beth Nobes says.
Photo: Unsplash / Nik Shuliahin

With the wage subsidy and mortgage deferral scheme having this week been extended, many households had managed to keep the wolves from the door for now.

But others had already been laid off and were under huge financial pressure.

Mental Health Advocacy and Peer Support head Beth Nobes said they had seen a doubling of the numbers approaching them for help.

“The people who are losing their jobs now these people have never, they’ve never not had a job. They’ve always been the one who chose to change jobs. This is going to be hugely impacting on people who’ve never had this distress before.”

The normalisation of mental health problems meant there was an increased willingness to seek help, she said.