Sweden is facing an increasing number of people who are struggling with mental health problems caused by the Covid 19.

A Stockholm-based non-profit organization has now developed a mental health program to help government employees.

Chen Xuefei has the report.

Sweden has been hit hard by Covid 19, especially during the rainy season. Research shows that nearly 40 percent of the government employees have some sort of mental issues caused by the stress of the pandemic.

A non-profit organization has now started a program to help them cope during this difficult period.

The program, developed by 29k Foundation, trains people to deal with anxiety as well as building a more positive environment.

Erik Fernholm, Ceo of 29 K [Photo: courtesy of Erik Fernholm]

Erik Fernhol is the CEO of 29K Foundation.

“There is a large need for support when it comes to mental health and also to building skills to better navigate to the future. This is something the Swedish government also has seen in their data, that a lot of people are suffering from stress, and even burn out. And that is very expensive for the government, and also very painful for the individuals, of course.”

Fernholm describes how many people are feeling during the pandemic. He says a lot of them are struggling with working long hours, they lack the energy to be online for an extended period of time, and are less motivated and need more sick leave.

What the foundation has done is to make a platform and make it an evidence-based tool available to the government employees and make sure they are really using it meaningfully for eight weeks.

Bianca Leidi, staff at Swedish World Culture Museum [Photo: courtesy of Bianca Leidi]

Bianca Leidi works for the Swedish World Cultural Heritage Museum. She has participated in the pilot project of this training.

“This coincided very well with the Covid 19 pandemic, so from having had a situation where I and all of us would meet and talk each other as you do at our workplace, suddenly we were isolated, all of us, so having a digital tool was very well functioning.”

Statistics show that the number of people battling depression in Sweden has increased from 11 percent to 30 percent and sleeping disorder has risen to 37 percent from 9 percent.

After participating in the program, Leidi says she feels more connected and motivated.

Fernholm says he hopes this training program can be extended to help people in many other countries, including China.