This Study Found A Surprising Shift In Mental Health Reco…

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Mental Health

Mental Health Symptoms May Be Doing Something Unexpected Over Time

Author:

Zhané Slambee

September 30, 2026

mindbodygreen editor

By Zhané Slambee

Image by PIETRO KARRAS / Stocksy

September 30, 2026

Maybe your anxiety finally feels manageable, only for your mood to dip months later.

Or you get through one difficult chapter and then find yourself dealing with a different set of symptoms. You’re feeling better, but not quite yourself.

A recent study1 of mental health in the Netherlands offers some context for why this can happen. Researchers found that common mental health problems may persist more often than they did about a decade ago, and they don’t always stick around in the same form.

About the study

Researchers analyzed data from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey, a large population study tracking mental health in Dutch adults.

They compared two groups of adults who took part in the survey at different points in time.

The earlier group included 6,646 adults who were assessed about . The more recent group included 6,194 adults ages 18 to 75 who were interviewed between 2019 and 2022 and ed for about three years.

Researchers focused on anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. In each group, they looked at whether people who had one of these disorders at the beginning still had a mental health disorder during -up.

They also checked whether it was the same type of disorder or a different one.

Mental health problems may be sticking around longer

Among adults ages 18 to 64 who had a mental health disorder at the start, 42.7% of people in the earlier group still had a disorder during -up. In the more recent group, that number rose to 57.9%.

The increase was also seen when researchers looked specifically at anxiety and mood disorders. Substance use disorders appeared more persistent in the more recent group too, although that difference was no longer statistically significant after accounting for age and sex.

There was another important detail. A mental health problem didn’t always come back as the same diagnosis.

For example, someone who initially had an anxiety disorder could later meet the criteria for a mood disorder instead.

So if researchers only checked whether the original diagnosis had returned, they could miss people who were still experiencing a mental health disorder, just a different one.

RELATED READ: Brain Fog & Low Mood? People Swear By This Supplement For Support

Why symptoms can shift over time

Anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders can overlap, and some people experience more than one at the same time.

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This means symptoms can change over the years without ing a neat pattern of one disorder ending and another completely separate problem beginning.

Several factors were also linked with more persistent mental health problems.

Younger adults, people living in cities, those who had experienced childhood trauma, and people who used drugs nearly every day were more ly to have ongoing symptoms.

These are associations, not proof that any of these factors cause symptoms to persist.

The study also can’t explain why persistence increased over the 12-year period. Changes in mental health awareness, diagnosis, treatment, or broader social conditions could all play a role.

What to do if your symptoms change

If something feels different after a period of doing well, you don’t have to wait until you’re struggling significantly to respond. A few practical steps can help you make sense of what’s happening:

• Pay attention to patterns: Notice changes in your mood, anxiety, sleep, energy, or substance use, particularly if they continue or start affecting daily life.
• Bring recurring symptoms up early: If something feels familiar but isn’t quite the same as before, tell your therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care provider. That context can help them understand the bigger picture.
• Keep track of your mental health history: Jotting down major symptoms, treatments, triggers, and periods when you felt better can make it easier to spot patterns over time and give your care team useful context.
• Don’t assume a setback means you’ve failed: Symptoms returning doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made. Mental health can change over time, and needing additional support doesn’t mean previous treatment didn’t work.
• Consider ongoing support when it helps: Some people benefit from continued therapy or periodic check-ins even when they’re feeling well, while others may not need that level of care. The right approach depends on your symptoms, history, and preferences.

The takeaway

Mental health symptoms don’t always return in the same form, and that can make the path forward less obvious.

Staying curious about changes in your symptoms and reaching out for support when you need it can help you respond to what’s happening, rather than waiting for things to become overwhelming.

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