Mental health: The data is clear, this year has taken its toll on everyone

12/8/20 7:00PM

A Gallup survey of more than 1000 American adults, published by Axios, reveals just how much of an impact this year has had on mental health. The proportion of people rating their mental health as "excellent" has fallen by almost 10% across the board.

Overall we were quite surprised by how uniform the impact appears to have been across age groups, race and income. Certain groups of people may have been doing better before COVID-19, but no group has escaped its impact on mental health.

‍Money... helps

‍Money may not buy "happiness", but it certainly seems to help your mental health through a pandemic. For household incomes above $100k, the pandemic has worsened mental health, but 45% of that high earner group still rated their mental health as excellent, significantly ahead of the 31% whose households earned between $40k and $99k, and way ahead of the 27% in the lowest earning bracket (<$40k).

‍Young people... are struggling

‍The poll found that just 28% of young adults (aged 18-29) rated their mental health as excellent, the lowest of the 4 age groups polled.

Jake Lahut

PAIN AT THE PUMP

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Gas station in front of the Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction.

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The UAE’s OPEC exit will hit the group in the barrels

After just shy of 60 years in OPEC, its membership even predating its status as a nation-state, the United Arab Emirates yesterday announced its shocking departure from the oil production group, effective May 1, as the knock-on effects of the Iran war continue to play out across the Middle East and the energy landscape.

For context, the UAE produces the third-highest amount of oil in the group, per April data and OPEC’s latest set of annual statistics.

According to the cartel’s 2025 Annual Statistical Bulletin, the OPEC group was collectively exporting some 19 million barrels of crude oil a day last year, with the United Arab Emirates accounting for some 14% of that daily output.

UAExit means UAExit

The nation, whose energy minister told Reuters yesterday that the decision was taken “after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production” and wasn’t made following discussions with any other country, made up a healthy share of the group’s total confirmed crude oil reserves, as well.

Of the 12 nations in the core group, which was founded by just five oil superpowers back in September 1960, only two (Iraq and Saudi Arabia) exported more barrels of crude oil daily, pumping out 3.36 million and 6.05 million barrels, respectively, each day to nations around the world.

For its part, the UAE said it will “continue its responsible role by gradually and thoughtfully increasing production, in line with demand and market conditions,” per the official state news agency. Clearly, the nation now wants a little more control of just how much oil it can pump around the world, with the UAE having to eat a large proportion of lost revenues due to its healthy abundance and OPEC restrictions.