On January 21, 2020 the CDC confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the US. As of January 9th last year, the WHO had already announced a spate of coronavirus-related pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. We could not have predicted the sequence of events that have led us to this place. In the meantime, while the vaccine has us thinking about the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel when social isolation will no longer be a requirement for safety, a different kind of isolation is occurring and with greater frequency. The isolation of people who struggle with their mental health.
Physical impacts are among the hallmarks of this pandemic. Beyond the devastating impact of the virus itself, everyday responsibilities and routines have been disrupted while basic supplies were in high demand and short supply. The economic impact of shuttered businesses and lost jobs has taken a toll on individuals, families and business-owners alike. But mental health issues are not so easily quantified, and how extensively the pandemic impacts our collective mental health is yet to be determined even though a recent study shows the rate of depression has increased 3-fold (within the study's sample). So many already struggle with the stigmatization of mental health conditions, and the pandemic has served to increase the amount of isolation that people face. On the other hand, it has contributed to a broader recognition of the need to help a growing number of people to cope with these conditions. Isolation and depression, anxiety and sleeplessness, news burnout and sedentism have all been exacerbated over this last year. And chances are you have experienced at least one of these symptoms. This article describes just how much COVID is “stressing the nation's stress therapy system".
So we know that having the conversation is vital, but what then do we do about it?
Firstly, let us consider reframing our collective understanding of what mental health actually means and reconceptualize how we treat it: "...evidence indicates that the absence of mental illness does not imply the presence of mental health, and the absence of mental health does not imply the presence of mental illness.” *
We have all had preconceived notions around mental health issues and how they can be treated. This article gives us an introduction to an emergent model of care whose proponents use an educational approach (I.e. of a person’s history and habitual patterns) as opposed to the modern medical approach (I.e. diagnosis of abnormal behavior). While not conclusive, this offers a viable, alternative method of thinking about the questions of what a mental health ‘disorder’ actually is and how we go about providing treatment.
We can also make access to mental health resources more widely available for everyone who needs them. This website provides 60 different digital resources for a wide range of concerns and issues across a diverse range of communities.
If you or someone you know is in need, online screening can an initial way to help identify symptoms of a mental health condition.
I recognize that this barely begins to scratch the surface of the enormity of mental health conditions, concerns, care, and treatment. But I hope we can use it as an introduction to our own education so that we may best serve not only ourselves, but our communities.
You can commit to your own continuing health and wellbeing in a myriad of ways. The following suggestions are tools, tips, and practices for you to use in your everyday to help manage feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, and to keep improving the condition of our souls and spirits.
Learn a new skill: Might I interest you in a crossword puzzle? Or practicing on your mat with your eyes closed? Our understanding of our brains and how they develop has changed over the years. We should no longer subscribe to the idea that we cannot learn and retain new skills as we age.
Keep a journal for mental health: Write it down. There are a plethora of benefits to keeping a journal and a number of ways to approach writing. Not only can it help us cope with our challenges, it can teach us how to moderate our responses, patterns, and habits.
Consider getting a pet: I can personally attest to the power of a furry companion. And a pet does not need to be four-legged! Consider fish, or a bird... we flourish when we help another soul to do the same.
And if you can, consider helping those who are in need whether through donating to a reliable organization or offering a service, like grocery shopping for someone in a vulnerable population. And when in doubt, think positive thoughts (take a look at those studies, it really does work!).
Please remember, we’re still in this together.
*Keyes, C. L. (2007). Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A complementary strategy for improving national mental health. American Psychologist, 62, 95-108.