COVID And Mental Health: Managing Impacts Of The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that people live their daily lives and made a lasting impact on the world. For many, the years spent navigating lockdowns, isolation, and uncertainty have come to be known as the “lost years.” This term refers to the many months in which people spent holidays without their extended family members and friends, missed milestones and once-in-a-lifetime events, had general routines disrupted, and lived with fear and anxiety about their health and the future. 

The COVID-19 illness itself had a clear and profound impact on many people’s physical health, but it has affected mental health too. The effects of living in isolation for that time as well as the fears related to the ongoing risks of COVID-19 continue to persist for many. Plus, for millions of people, anxiety, depression, and loneliness were compounded by grief over the loss of loved ones. The inability to connect with social networks due to lockdowns as well as the missed moments and opportunities they caused exacerbated emotional challenges for many people worldwide. Here, we’ll examine the impacts of COVID on mental health and offer a few strategies individuals can use to support their mental health moving forward. 

Living with pandemic-related anxiety or trauma?

Address symptoms in online therapy

What is the COVID-19 pandemic? 

The coronavirus pandemic is a global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. During the height of the pandemic, many people were subject to lockdowns and social isolation. In addition to coping with illness, uncertainty, and the loss of loved ones, people also missed weddings, funerals, graduations, and many other milestones and had to contend with daily loneliness and isolation. While each person has their own story, this period—the “lost years” of COVID—was not easy and felt like a blur for many.   

In addition to the personal, the lost years also had a societal impact. Schools shifted to remote learning, workplaces adapted to virtual settings, and entire industries were upended. Essential workers faced challenging conditions, while those in roles deemed non-essential contended with job losses and financial instability.

Who is impacted? 

In addition to the health impacts of the virus itself, the pandemic has affected the daily lives and well-being of people of all backgrounds, though the effects vary for different groups. One particular demographic that has been highly impacted is students. During the pandemic’s peak, most students received instruction virtually, which meant not interacting with friends or getting the hands-on experience that in-person schooling provides. For many students, these years may be marked by missed opportunities, fear, and anxiety. 

In addition to student populations, the lost years often impacted people with lower incomes more heavily and exacerbated social inequities. While many of those with higher incomes received the opportunity to switch to working from home, many of those with lower incomes did not, or their positions may have been cut at higher rates. Health care inequities also became more pronounced for lower-income individuals. Additionally, according to the National Institutes of Health, many parents and children in single-parent households experienced higher levels of stress and anxiety, as the parent may have had to juggle managing a career and children without support. 

Mental health impacts of peak COVID and lockdowns

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on mental health worldwide throughout the first few months and years. Some of the most common mental health impacts during the lost years of COVID-19 included anxiety and depression, isolation and loneliness, and grief and trauma, which may still persist for many.

Anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic

One of the main mental health impacts of the COVID pandemic has been an increase in rates of anxiety and depression, both of which can affect behavior and well-being. Several pandemic-related stressors may have contributed to this increase, including: 

• Job loss or financial instability. During COVID, many companies cut positions to the bare minimum, keeping only essential workers employed. These decisions led to job loss for many at a time of great uncertainty, which may have increased anxiety and caused depression. 
• Social isolation. Social isolation or loneliness can be a major contributing factor to depression. At the height of COVID, most people were quarantined in their homes, which limited the amount of socializing they could do. Despite the spike in the popularity of virtual social interactions, many were still left feeling lonely and touch-starved. 
• Fear of the unknown. General feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear of the unknown future related to the pandemic persisted for years, and many continue to experience them today.
• Fear for safety. The COVID pandemic brought on a real fear for health and safety, and the fact that it took hard-working scientists months to understand how this novel disease was transmitted and how people could protect themselves may made these fears worse.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise has been linked to improved mental health and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, but getting exercise was more challenging for many during the pandemic. Many gyms, recreational sports leagues, and even parks closed down, which meant that individuals had to get exercise at home. 
• Resource scarcity. Early in the pandemic, there was a fear around a lack of resources, such as toilet paper and shelf-stable foods. This perception of scarcity led some people to stockpile goods, which resulted in empty store shelves and a spike in anxiety for many. 

Isolation and loneliness

During the pandemic, social distancing and isolation became the norm as government agencies attempted to control the disease. While these factors may have helped slow the spread of the virus, they also may have hurt mental health. This may be especially true for young people and older adults. According to the World Health Organization, isolation and social withdrawal have been linked to an increased risk of depression, suicide, anxiety, dementia, and other illnesses, and their mental health impacts from March 2020 onward are still felt by many. 

Grief and trauma

Another key impact of the pandemic on mental health is related to the deaths caused by the virus itself. Millions of people worldwide have already died due to COVID or related complications. Many who lost loved ones during the height of the pandemic experienced grief and even trauma that was exacerbated due to social distancing and lockdowns, which prevented them from making hospital visits, attending funerals, or receiving in-person emotional support and care after their loss.

COVID and mental health: long-term consequences

While the long-term effects of the pandemic are still not fully understood due to the relative recency of this global event, experts already agree that it has produced emotional consequences, social impacts, and developmental impacts. These may be felt by individuals and society for years to come.

COVID and mental health or emotional consequences

Some experts have labeled the period from March 2020 through today as a period of global mental health crisis. The emotional challenges of continually having to adapt to changes and uncertainties related to the pandemic may cause what’s known as “resilience fatigue.” This effect can make it more difficult to manage the demands of daily life and can impact overall well-being. It has particularly affected people in certain sectors, such as education and health care workers, as they may be more likely to face burnout caused by the increased demands placed on them during this period. 

Some common mental health conditions related to the pandemic include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social isolation and loneliness. During lockdowns, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that cases of substance use disorder increased. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that rates of mental illness, suicidal ideation, and self-harm have increased during the pandemic as well. 

Social impacts

As people returned to work and social distancing and isolation requirements were lifted, some found it challenging to “return to normal.” Anxiety around returning to in-person events and understanding social norms was and still is common and may increase stress and anxiety. 

For some, social anxiety may have increased due to living in isolation during the pandemic, which could lead to stress and loneliness. Plus, the fact people continue to contract COVID-19 today means that many have developed anxieties related to getting the illness when engaging in social activities.

Developmental impacts

As schools switched to remote or online learning, many students experienced and continue to struggle with academic and social delays. Online classes make socializing with peers difficult or nearly impossible in many cases. 

The pandemic also resulted in an increase in screen time for many children, which has been linked to developmental delays and may inhibit cognitive and social-emotional growth. In turn, parents, caregivers, and teachers may experience additional stress related to these challenges that many children are facing.

Coping and mental health care strategies

While managing the short- and long-term impacts of the COVID pandemic can seem overwhelming, there are strategies that a person can try to improve mental health and cope with what they’ve been through. Some examples include mindfulness practices and relaxation strategies to reduce anxiety and stress. 

Mental health care through mindfulness practices

Mindfulness techniques include things like meditation, reflective journaling, and practicing gratitude. These strategies might help a person gain perspective on the challenges they may be facing and have faced and could also help them cultivate a higher level of overall awareness. Research suggests that “greater mindfulness is associated with less mental distress in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Relaxation strategies

In addition to specific mindfulness practices, general relaxation strategies may also help reduce stress and anxiety. Examples include deep breathing techniques, body scans, and grounding techniques. These may help calm the initial fight-or-flight response that can engage as a result of a stressful situation. As a result, it may become easier to think through problems and reduce senses of overwhelm or anxiety.  

Connecting with mental health services like support groups

For individuals who are experiencing the long-term mental health impacts of COVID—from anxiety to depression to brain fog—it may be helpful to connect with an in-person or virtual support group. These groups are typically made up of other individuals who are experiencing the same symptoms or challenges and are often led by a mental health professional. Meetings may help remind a person that they’re not alone in their experiences and equip them with tools for managing anxiety and other challenges. You might find support groups online or through a local clinic, hospital, or Health and Human Services department.

Connecting with a mental health services professional

Reaching out for mental health services, like connecting with a mental health professional such as a therapist, can be another way to manage the impacts of COVID-related stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, grief, or trauma. They can provide a safe space for you to share your feelings and your story, and they can offer strategies—such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to teach you to identify and reframe negative thought patterns—that may help you cope with challenges. 

While lockdowns and most COVID restrictions have been lifted in many places, research increasingly suggests that what’s known as “long COVID”—thought to result from multiple COVID infections—can cause serious and lasting complications. As a result, many individuals—such as those who are immunocompromised due to chronic illness—continue to take precautions to protect themselves from this virus and other illnesses. In many cases, this involves social distancing and engaging in virtual activities instead of in-person ones whenever possible. 

As a result, COVID-conscious individuals may not feel safe or find it easy to attend in-person therapy sessions. Online therapy can be a more convenient and accommodating alternative in such cases. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist and then meet with them remotely from anywhere you have an internet connection. Research suggests that online CBT can be an effective way to reduce anxiety and stress, which may be at the root of many mental health impacts of the pandemic. Online therapy is also typically more cost-effective than in-person therapy, which can be helpful for those still coping with financial impacts of COVID-19.

Living with pandemic-related anxiety or trauma?

Address symptoms in online therapy

Growth and reclaiming purpose after COVID

The lessons learned during the pandemic can serve as a foundation for future growth. By recognizing the importance of mental health and embracing adaptability, individuals may be able to build a life aligned with their goals and values. The process of regaining purpose and rebuilding well-being after COVID’s peak may involve taking the lessons learned during the pandemic and applying them to the future, which can often be easier to do with the support of a therapist.