The Finnish mental health federation Mieli said calls to its helpline grew by nearly 100,000 last year, compared to 2021.
The NGO's helpline received 400,000 calls in 2022, which was a record-high number. Anxiety was a top concern among callers, followed by relationship worries.
Sanna Vesikansa, Mieli's Director of Crisis Services, said the organisation was answering an unmet need in the public sector.
"Russia's invasion, the coronavirus pandemic and other crises are burdening people. Low-threshold services, such as the crisis helpline are filling in the gaps of public services," she said in a statement, adding that Finland should do more to support mental health services.
Research commissioned by Mieli has found that the pandemic negatively impacted mental health, with issues particularly evident among children, young adults and immigrants.
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