Mental Health During COVID-19

Stephanie Medrano

Mental Health is a controversial topic and most people shy away from speaking about their mental health due to feeling they will be judged. In 2020 with a worldwide pandemic where being isolated is the best way to prevent from contracting the virus mental health conditions are sure to be elevated. People have lost their jobs, business, and people have even lost their homes. This pandemic may be stressful for people and cause fear and anxiety. Some people use human contact and human interaction as a way to help their anxiety or depression and now they are unable to do that. According to the CDC in order for them to assess mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the pandemic, representative panel surveys were conducted among adults aged ≥18 years across the United States during June 24–30, 2020. Overall, 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%). (2020). We all are going through this pandemic together and i know its very easy to isolate ourselves and get into bad habits due to most thing being closed or just not going out in fear of getting sick.  So i want people to remember to reach out whether its a phone call or facetime in order to talk to someone and remember that this is only temporary and we will come out of this.