1. Finland
Finland‘s placement is primarily due to the trust that its 5.5 million people have in their communities and institutions. “Trust and the ability to count on others are major supports to life evaluations, especially in the face of crises,” the report reads, highlighting how these two factors impact happiness more than income, unemployment, or the main risks to health.
Trust in institutions and the security that comes with having someone to count on help many Finnish people, but also others around the world, to manage the stress and negative feelings caused by the health crisis we are facing, and the isolation it has generated. Other factors that have ensured a better response to the pandemic among the population are smaller income inequality and a bottom-up approach, where citizens are better able to accept the measures imposed by their governments.
For this precise reason, and also because the increase in negative sentiments in many cases led to heightened awareness of positive responses and solidarity in the face of a “common evil”, there has not been a decline in global well-being due to Covid-19, although there are, of course, differences between nations. What has increased is the demand for assistance for mental health problems, also accompanied by more widespread awareness of the issue, which many believe will be helpful to those who are affected by it and stimulate research to improve mental well-being.