The COVID-19 pandemic began what may be considered a mental health crisis in the United States and parts of the world. In this write-up, we’ll explain some of the reasons why. As of 2022, it’s still affecting many people, although there haven’t been many news reports of outbreaks compared to the last two years.
In the beginning, no one knew for sure what to do. New Waters Recovery has information on how you can handle your mental health, even in times of crisis. You can check it out here on their website.
Let’s dive right in and talk more about the coronavirus pandemic and why it may have a detriment to many’s mental health.
Many people had to stay home.
At the time, the coronavirus was spreading rapidly. Because of the gravity of the situation, many people were required to stay home to slow the spread. However, it continued onward.
With many people staying home, they were denied the opportunity to socialize with friends in person. This also meant they could not go outside their homes and do things that made them happy. As a result, they would undergo ‘withdrawal’ symptoms, including feelings of sadness and loneliness.
While current technology allows us to communicate with people via video call, it may not feel the same. Staying home may give someone the feeling that they are being trapped from entering the outside world.
It disrupted mental health care.
With isolation being one of the solutions for slowing the spread, many things were disrupted. This included those receiving regular mental health care. Many people were visiting their therapists in person.
Social distancing discouraged people from coming into close contact with one another. Also, mental health facilities were closed to taking in new entrants. This was because if they were from outside their facility, they might bring in the virus and infect others.
The result of the disruption also created gaps as well. On the bright side, many people would seek mental health care online as it provides no in-person contact. They could link with a professional online, thanks to the easy accessibility of technological tools.
Essential workers were stressed due to overwork.
Essential workers such as health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients. They would work long hours and also undergo the stress of the job that went along with it. Those who experienced stress regularly without a break would be susceptible to mental disorders.
The constraints of seeking support would soon exist. At the same time, stress could lead to suicidal thoughts and even attempts. Many could have experienced higher levels of cortisol to the point where it could have changed their brain structure, even on an extended basis.
The US was ill-prepared for such an occurrence.
Because the pandemic came without advanced warning, no one knew what its mental impact would be. For that reason, there was little to no preparation to handle it. However, the ill-preparedness had occurred well before the pandemic.
Specifically, there were plenty of barriers that had existed before COVID-19 happened. One of them was that many mental health programs and facilities were underfunded. As a result, they experienced cutbacks.
Not only that, but a mental health crisis had also existed before the pandemic. In other words, one event had already exacerbated what a currently living situation was. Other factors that fueled the problem include the mental health stigma, limited access, and a lack of funding.
Many of the mental health clinics in the United States were already facing collapse. Because of this, it would create a more significant gap in terms of the care people would need. It would not have handled the increased cases of mental disorders.
With increased mental disorders, cases would come with something grim—the potential increase of suicides that would occur as a result.
Young people were significantly impacted.
During the pandemic, at least 37 percent of high school students had experienced poor mental health. Nearly half of the students surveyed stated that they had feelings of hopelessness and sadness at a general level. Based on gender, it affected female students more than male ones.
About 20 percent of the students had considered suicide, and nine percent had made attempts. Once again, this affected more females than males. By orientation, LGBT people had a higher than likely chance of being affected by poor mental health and attempting suicide compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
More than 50 percent of the students surveyed stated they felt close to people in school. However, over 70 percent indicated that they were more connected when they were associated with friends, family, and other people using online platforms.
The mental health crisis may have affected people of all ages, genders, and races. However, the young people were the most vulnerable. This may have been because they had spent most of their time socializing with friends in person instead of online.
Others may have been impacted due to other factors such as home life. They may have been in an environment where they may not feel comfortable at home due to family issues.
Final Thoughts
The coronavirus pandemic magnified what appeared to be a crisis that already existed. This would lead to an even more significant mental health crisis that no one could have expected. With the pandemic appearing to wind down, more people are returning to normal.
However, many people are experiencing what could be lasting effects on their mental health. Mental health care must be widely available. This should include increasing funding and expanding the availability to those who may not be considered severe enough so they are not denied when they need help.
