In a new survey from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI), one in four Norwegians answered that they are not happy with life. At the same time, one in three students feels lonely.
“Mental health and quality of life are affected by infection control measures. But optimism about the future is high, probably because people know that the situation is temporary. They are looking forward to it getting better,” senior researcher Ragnhild Bang Nes at the FHI noted in a press release.
In a new survey conducted among 26,000 people in the counties of Oslo, Agder, Nordland, and Vestland in November and December, many answered that they are suffering mentally during the pandemic.
Gloomy picture
It appears that 24% of the respondents are dissatisfied with life. At the same time, 33% of the surveyed students stated that they are lonely.
In general, for the population, those who live alone and those who work from home are more lonely than those who live with several people or are physically present in the workplace.
The proportion of those who are dissatisfied with life and who are lonely has increased this year compared to last year.
The psychological strain is greatest in Bergen and Oslo, where infection control measures have been the most extensive.
“The state of affairs is a bit gloomy. We are surprised that it looks so dark for many. We had expected greater stability in mental health,” senior adviser Thomas S. Nilsen at the FHI said.
Believing in the future
Nevertheless, the survey shows that optimism about the future is high, especially among young people.
Many people look forward to the future and expect to be both happier than they are now and happier than they have been before.
“People are probably aware that the future will be brighter, and that is important.
“The average score for future optimism is 8 on a scale from 0 to 10. The situation here and now is worrying, but it seems to be situational,” Bang Nes concluded.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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