Demand from employees for support around mental ill health rose by 10% in the weeks following Mental Health Awareness Week last year and in 2023, research has found.

With this year’s awareness-raising week ending last week (12-18 May), the research by healthcare provider Healix Health suggests employers may see another spike in demand in the coming days and weeks.

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The data, drawn from an analysis of employee interactions with wellbeing and digital triage platform Mindright, showed a temporary spike in help-seeking behaviours, with increased enquiries relating to stress, burnout, and access to counselling. By June, however, levels returned to their baseline.

It also found a 30% increase in enquiries on ‘Blue Monday’ for the last two years, compared with other days in January.

Ian Talbot, CEO of Healix Health, said: “Our data shows that campaigns like Mental Health Awareness Week and Blue Monday are having a potential positive impact in terms of encouraging employees to feel empowered to ask for help.

“But we also see a recurring pattern – after a short surge in interest, things taper off. Mental health isn’t seasonal. It’s vital employers match short-term awareness with long-term action.”

Separately, research into the drinking habits of more than 4,000 UK adults by the charity Alcohol Change UK has found that alcohol consumption above the low-risk guidelines of 14 units per week is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety when compared to never-drinkers.

Whereas less than one in five (18%) never-drinkers reported depression, this rose to more than one in four (26%) of hazardous drinkers and almost four in 10 (37%) harmful drinkers.

For anxiety, less than one in four (24%) never-drinkers reported anxiety, rising to more than three in 10 (32%) hazardous drinkers and half (50%) of harmful drinkers, it argued.

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