Epigraph

Those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God – truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace. Those who believe and do righteous deeds: joy awaits these, and their final homecoming will be excellent.’ (Al Quran 13:28-29)

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

Background: Anxiety and depression have become prevalent public health concerns in Western societies, with notable increases observed in recent years. This paper examines the current prevalence of these mental health conditions in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany using post-2020 data from health authorities and international bodies. Methods: We review recent epidemiological reports (e.g. CDC, NHS, Santé Publique France, RKI) to highlight trends, especially the surge in symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. We then discuss sociocultural factors – secularization, individualism, economic uncertainty, and social isolation – that literature suggests may be contributing to the mental health crisis in these countries. Results: Data indicate that roughly one-fifth of adults in the U.S. and U.K. report significant anxiety or depressive symptoms in recent years, with similarly high rates in France and a doubling of depressive symptoms in Germany since 2020 cdc.govlink.springer.com. Pandemic-related stressors (e.g. lockdowns, economic strain) triggered a ~25% global increase in anxiety and depression who.int. Sociocultural analyses point to a crisis of meaning in highly secularized and individualistic contexts, where traditional sources of purpose and community have weakened martenscentre.eumartenscentre.eu. Discussion: The paper explores how genuine belief in monotheism – particularly within Islam, but in the broader Abrahamic tradition as well – can alleviate psychological distress. Theological frameworks in these faiths provide meaning, hope, and acceptance of life’s trials, while spiritual practices (prayer, meditation, scripture recitation) and community structures (congregational support, charitable networks) foster resilience and social support. Studies show that religiosity is often associated with better mental health outcomes yaqeeninstitute.org, and faith-based coping mechanisms (e.g. trust in God, mindfulness in prayer) can reduce anxiety and depression yaqeeninstitute.org yaqeeninstitute.org. Conclusion: Integrating spiritual wisdom with mental health strategies may address deeper existential needs. In an epilogue, we reflect on the broader philosophical implications of the mental health crisis and the potential of spiritual renewal to enrich modern secular societies.

Introduction

Mental health disorders – notably anxiety and depressive disorders – have reached alarming levels in many developed Western countries. The early 21st century has seen rising reports of chronic stress, anxiety, and mood disturbances, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath who.int. Beyond the immediate toll on quality of life, these conditions carry significant societal costs, from healthcare burden to impaired productivity and increased disability claims institute.globalinstitute.global. Understanding the prevalence and drivers of this mental health crisis is a prerequisite for developing effective interventions.

This paper focuses on four countries – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany – which offer a cross-section of high-income Western societies with reliable mental health surveillance data. We first present recent statistics on the prevalence of anxiety and depression in these countries, drawing on data since 2020 (post-pandemic era) from reputable sources (e.g. U.S. CDC, UK Office for National Statistics, France’s Santé Publique France, Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, and WHO). We then examine sociocultural dynamics that scholars and commentators have implicated in fueling mental distress, specifically: the decline of religious belief (secularization) and its impact on meaning; the rise of individualism and erosion of communal bonds; economic instability and insecurity; and increasing social isolation and loneliness. These factors are interrelated features of modern Western culture that may help explain why mental health issues are surging martenscentre.eumartenscentre.eu.

Finally, we explore a potentially protective influence often overlooked in secular mental health discourse: genuine belief in monotheism and active engagement in religious life. In particular, we highlight aspects of the Islamic tradition – as a case study of a monotheistic faith – that can foster mental well-being, while also noting parallels in the broader Abrahamic context (Christianity and Judaism). We delve into theological concepts (e.g. finding purpose through faith, trusting in divine providence), spiritual practices (such as prayer, meditation, scriptural reflection), and the social capital of religious communities. By synthesizing findings from psychology, medicine, and theology, we aim to show how spirituality and religion, when authentically practiced, might mitigate anxiety and depression. A concluding epilogue will reflect on the larger implications of re-integrating spiritual paradigms into modern life, suggesting that the mental health crisis invites a renewed dialogue between secular and religious approaches to human well-being.

Prevalence and Trends of Anxiety and Depression (Post-2020)

United States

Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in the United States, and rates have risen in recent years. According to a 2022 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in five American adults reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety (18.2%) or depression (21.4%) in the past two weekscdc.gov. This marked a significant increase from 2019, when comparable figures were 15.6% for anxiety and 18.5% for depressioncdc.gov. In other words, the pandemic period saw a broad uptick in self-reported mental health symptoms across demographic groups in the U.S., corroborating earlier evidence that 2020–2021 brought a sharp rise in anxiety and mood disorder incidence cdc.gov. The National Institute of Mental Health and other sources likewise report that major depressive episodes and anxiety disorders now affect a substantial portion of the population each year. For instance, an estimated 8.3% of Americans (over 1 in 12) experienced a major depressive episode in 2021 usafacts.org. By 2022, the overall prevalence of any mental illness among adults was approximately 22.8% (59.3 million people) nimh.nih.gov, reflecting the high burden of mental health conditions.

These trends have been linked in part to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. A scientific brief by the World Health Organization (WHO) observed a massive 25% global increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression during the first year of the pandemic who.int. The U.S. was no exception; surveys showed elevated rates of psychological distress amid lockdowns, social disruption, and economic uncertainty. While some metrics improved slightly as acute pandemic stressors receded, the latest data (2022–2023) indicate that U.S. mental health needs remain at historically high levels. This is evident in healthcare utilization: for example, over 1 in 5 U.S. adults sought mental health treatment in 2022, up from 19% in 2019 nimh.nih.gov. In summary, anxiety and depression are widespread in America, affecting roughly 20–25% of adults in a given recent year, with young adults and women often reporting the highest levels of distress cdc.govcdc.gov.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has similarly witnessed a surge in common mental health problems. Even before 2020, roughly 1 in 6 adults in England had symptoms of anxiety or depression in any given week (according to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014)commonslibrary.parliament.uk. This prevalence appeared to be on the rise, and the pandemic then caused an acute spike. Office for National Statistics (ONS) monitoring showed that the proportion of British adults with moderate to severe depressive symptoms jumped from around 10% pre-pandemic (2019) to 19% by June 2020, and further to 21% by early 2021 commonslibrary.parliament.uk. In other words, depressive symptom prevalence roughly doubled under pandemic conditions. By late 2022, the rate had fallen to about 16%, indicating some improvement compared to the peak but still notably higher than the pre-COVID baseline (10%) commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Anxiety levels followed a similar pattern of escalation. According to the Annual Population Survey data cited by the Tony Blair Institute, the share of the working-age UK population reporting high anxiety rose significantly after 2019, reaching 23% in 2023 institute.global. This sustained elevation in self-reported anxiety underscores the lasting psychological strain in the post-pandemic period.

Youth mental health trends in the UK are particularly concerning. The NHS reports that 20% of children aged 8–16 had a probable mental disorder in 2023, up from 12% in 2017 commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Among older teens (17–19 years), rates of probable mental disorder more than doubled from 10% in 2017 to 23% in 2023 commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Young adults likewise have disproportionately high rates of depression and anxiety, reflecting generational pressures. The rising demand for services is evident: in England, referrals to NHS talking therapy programs for anxiety and depression reached 1.76 million people in 2022/23 commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Primary care data also show a steady increase in diagnosed depression; GP records in England reveal that the incidence of adult depression rose from 7.3% of patients in 2014 to 13.3% in 2022institute.global. In summary, around one-fifth of UK adults have significant depressive or anxiety symptoms in a given year, with spikes above 20% during crisescommonslibrary.parliament.uk. The trajectory has been upward, especially among younger demographics, pointing to a mounting mental health challenge.

France

France has likewise reported a notable increase in depression and anxiety in recent years. A comprehensive national survey by Santé Publique France (SPF) found an “unprecedented” rise in depressive disorders following the COVID-19 crisislemonde.fr. Overall, 13.3% of French adults (age 18–75) experienced a depressive episode during 2021 – a 36% increase compared to 2017lemonde.fr. This means roughly 1 in 8 adults had a period of clinically significant depression in that year. The surge was most pronounced among young people: 20.8% of 18–24 year-olds had a depressive episode in 2021, nearly double the 11.7% recorded four years earlierlemonde.fr. Young women in particular were affected (26.5% of young women vs 15.2% of young men in 2021)lemonde.fr. These findings point to the pandemic amplifying pre-existing trends of rising youth psychological distress in France.

Anxiety has been similarly prevalent. While exact nationwide post-2020 anxiety stats are less publicized, studies during the pandemic indicated that about one-third of surveyed French people reported heightened anxiety symptomspmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Pandemic stressors – lockdowns, “social isolation”, uncertainty about the future, and economic “precariousness” – weighed heavily on the population’s mental healthlemonde.fr. French public health experts noted that the context of the pandemic (and contemporary issues like climate anxiety and economic worry) created an “anxiety-provoking” atmosphere, especially for the younglemonde.fr. By 2022–2023, some indicators improved as life normalized, but mental health need remained high. For instance, one French news report in 2023 headlined that “one in five young French people has a depressive disorder,” underscoring the ongoing crisis among youth lemonde.fr. In summary, France’s data show that roughly 13% (or higher) of adults suffer depression in recent years, anxiety and stress have been widespread, and young adults are a particularly vulnerable group for mental health issues post-2020.

Germany

Germany’s mental health surveillance reveals a clear increasing trend in depression and anxiety indicators over the past few years. According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) Mental Health Surveillance, the prevalence of depressive symptoms among German adults has roughly doubled since the start of the pandemic. In 2020, about 7.5% of adults scored above the clinical cutoff for depression on a standard screening (PHQ-8), whereas by 2023 this figure had risen to 14.8% link.springer.com. This dramatic jump in depressive symptom prevalence between 2020 and 2023 was observed across various subgroups, reflecting a broad-based deterioration in mood health link.springer.com. A similar trend is seen in diagnosed depression: administrative data indicate that 16.7% of adults in Germany were diagnosed with depression in outpatient care in 2023, making it one of the most common health conditionsgbe.rki.de.

Anxiety disorders have also increased. RKI data show that 7.9% of German adults had an anxiety disorder diagnosis in 2023 (with women nearly twice as likely as men)gbe.rki.de. High-frequency monthly surveys during the pandemic found that the proportion of adults screening positive for generalized anxiety climbed significantly from late 2021 into mid-2022 frontiersin.org. By spring 2022, an estimated ~17% of adults had anxiety symptom levels high enough to suggest an anxiety disorder, up from around 11% in 2019 frontiersin.org. Self-rated mental health also declined in that period frontiersin.org. These figures underscore how the compounding crises of recent years (pandemic waves, economic uncertainties) have impaired Germans’ psychological well-being. While Germany historically had slightly lower prevalence of some mental disorders compared to Anglophone countries, the gap appears to be closing as modern stressors impact its population. Public health researchers have called for urgent efforts to “promote and protect mental health” in the face of these multi-year increases, noting that Germany is in “times of multiple collective crises” fueling psychological distress link.springer.com.

In summary, all four countries under review are experiencing high and often growing rates of anxiety and depression. Roughly 15–25% of adults in these nations report recent symptoms of these disorders, and young adults consistently show even higher levels of distress. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021 acted as a catalyst that drove up global mental health burden by an estimated 25% in just one year who.int. Although some acute stress has since abated, many pandemic-era problems have evolved into chronic societal stressors. Health systems in the US and Europe are now grappling with what some call a “second pandemic” of mental illness, as stretched services try to accommodate the surge in need who.intinstitute.global. Understanding why this crisis has escalated involves looking beyond the virus itself to deeper sociocultural and economic currents in Western societies.

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