The pandemic has taken a toll. What can we learn from people with mental health challenges? (2024)

FAQs

What are the mental health issues after the pandemic? ›

Rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder have increased since the beginning of the pandemic. And people who have mental illnesses or disorders and then get COVID-19 are more likely to die than those who don't have mental illnesses or disorders.

Stress and worry are common during a crisis. But something like the COVID-19 pandemic can push people beyond their ability to cope. In surveys, the most common symptoms reported were trouble sleeping and feeling anxiety or nervous. The number of people noting those symptoms went up and down in surveys given over time.

Offer emotional support and reassurance.

Let them know you care about them and you'll be there if they change their mind. Inform them how to seek help when they're ready (for example, you could show them our pages on talking to your GP and what might happen at the appointment).

Mental health conditions often has a 'ripple effect' on families, creating tension, uncertainty, stress and sometimes significant changes in how people live their lives. Different family members are likely to be affected in different ways.

The pandemic has affected the public's mental health and well-being in a variety of ways, including through isolation and loneliness, job loss and financial instability, and illness and grief.

* Cases of high/very high social, emotional and behavioural difficulties increased 7.9% in the pandemic cohort vs 3.5% in the pre-pandemic cohort. * Cases of possible/probable mental health difficulties increased 12.8% in the pandemic group versus 4.5% in the pre-pandemic group.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's advisory on youth mental health (2021) states, “The pandemic era's unfathomable number of deaths, pervasive sense of fear, economic instability, and forced physical distancing from loved ones, friends, and communities have exacerbated the unprecedented stresses young people already faced.

Risk factors for a mental health crisis might include: Access to a firearm. Alcohol or substance use. Community risk factors like discrimination, community violence, or lack of access to health care.

Although most people are resilient, people who are exposed to adverse circ*mstances – including poverty, violence, disability and inequality – are at higher risk of developing a mental health condition.

How do we help people with mental health issues? ›

Expressing your concern and support. Reminding your friend or family member that help is available and that mental health problems can be treated. Asking questions, listening to ideas, and being responsive when the topic of mental health problems come up. Reassuring your friend or family member that you care about them.

You could say something like 'its okay to feel like that' or, 'what you're going through sounds really tough'. Sometimes when you are struggling with your mental health, it can feel very lonely. By letting them know how they feel is valid, you are letting them know that they are not alone.

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Complications sometimes linked to mental illness include: Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life.

Mental illness creates enormous social and economic costs. These costs impact many different sectors including health care, business, education, law enforcement, criminal justice system, and emergency and social services.

Raising awareness reduces the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and seeking treatment. Without treatment, mental health disorders can reach a crisis point. As the World Health Organization states, “there is no health without mental health.”

Difficulty concentrating (brain fog)

Some people with long COVID have difficulty concentrating, managing lots of information at once, or remembering things. This is sometimes called brain fog. You should discuss this symptom with your GP if it is a constant or severe problem or getting worse.

A psychopathology study by the American Psychology Association reveals that over the past few decades, there's been an increase in demand for care. Economic stressors, the global pandemic, population growth and global warming are all considered contributing factors for the increase in mental health disorders.