Briefing: Cost of Living Crisis and Mental Health
by Sorcha Connell, Religion Media Centre:
The cost-of-living crisis, with huge rises in the prices of fuel and food, is already causing deep wounds among the poorest in society, according to the debt charity Christians Against Poverty. In this Religion Media Centre briefing on its annual report, it said mental health issues and the risk of suicide were increasing as people sink into debt and isolation and cannot see a way out. Its work involves befriending people and offering hope alongside practical support. Ruth Peacock hosted this discussion with:
- Gareth McNab, external affairs director Christians Against Poverty
- Paul Morrison representing several churches in the Joint Public Issues Team
- Tom Pollard, mental health worker and author of a report on food banks and mental health
See also: an example of how CAP and local churches support individuals on their journey out of debt and towards hope (and often, faith).
Launch of new Poverty Strategy Commission in the UK, from Legatum Institute: Cross-party, cross-sectoral commission of politicians, business leaders and civil society unite to develop strategy to tackle persistent poverty in the UK.
On the other hand, a different kind of mental illness epidemic has been growing not because of poverty, but because of progressive ideologies and social media. Eric Kaufmann in Quillette asks Is contemporary liberal-left culture producing greater mental distress? Research into the link is “virtually non-existent…because it questions the taken-for-granted progressive narrative of discrimination, minority trauma, the fight for social justice, and the need for more resources for the psychotherapy industry.”
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