How the Pandemic is Affecting Mental Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC, rates of individuals experiencing mental health concerns have almost doubled and continue to rise throughout the pandemic. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, suicidality, psychosis, and substance abuse. The effects of the pandemic will very likely continue to influence mental health even after the health crisis is over.

Many of the individuals who were diagnosed with and recovered from Covid-19 continue to experience to physical and neurological symptoms even months later, and those that witnessed their loved ones suffer or die appear to experience great distress. Symptoms may include flashbacks, excessive worrying, impaired sleep, trouble focusing and concentrating, helplessness, fear, hopelessness, brain fog, short-term memory loss, confusion, and “not feeling like themselves”. Emotional reactions are normal during a stressful situation; however, trauma usually results in more severe emotional and physiological reactions, such as changes in brain patterns.

Rates of individuals seeking mental health treatment have increased significantly throughout the pandemic. While it is not possible to control the world around us, it is possible to develop skills to learn to cope with uncertainty, grief, and trauma. Working with a therapist in individual therapy is a safe place to reflect on distress to learn strategies to make trauma less painful and intrusive in one’s daily life. Call the Counseling Associates of America at 239-289-9796 to begin feeling better.