MENTAL HEALTH IN THE TIME OF CORONA
by Idinma | Feb 1, 2021 4 min read
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think mental health? Depression? Stress? Emotional well-being? All of the above? Mental health is a key component of overall health, and it encompasses all these ideas and more. Our mental health can be described as the sum of our emotional, social and psychological well-being. It impacts our daily thoughts, feelings and actions, and it has the capacity to significantly influence our relationship with ourselves, and those around us. If we are to make an attempt at living a somewhat balanced life, taking care of our mental health is crucial.
The importance of mental health cannot be overstated, especially now as humankind struggles to navigate a pandemic that has brought the world to its knees. All around the world, many people are faced with new realities of wearing a mask, working remotely, home-schooling children, unemployment, restricted physical contact, and increased isolation. A KFF tracking poll carried out in mid-July revealed that 53% of Americans report that their mental health has been negatively impacted because of anxiety and stress from the coronavirus. Additional research associates isolation and loneliness with poor mental health, and links job loss to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and occasionally, increased substance use and suicide.
It is largely accepted that when we feel physically unwell, we take a trip to the doctor. For several reasons, however, we haven't collectively embraced the importance of caring for our mental health in the same way. There is social stigma surrounding mental illness and therapy, and they are also taboo topics in many cultures that don't "believe" in illnesses like depression and anxiety or even qualify them as illnesses. This ongoing pandemic has brought several things to the forefront of society’s consciousness, not the least of which is the insidious anti-black racism that plagues the United States and the world at large—a public health crisis in of itself. Mental health is another such issue. Burnout, stress and anxiety are some of the major contributors to poor mental health, and these have all been heightened due to the coronavirus and its multi-sectoral impacts. The effects of COVID-19 on mental health today, and its implications for the future, are quite difficult to ignore.
Thankfully, all hope is not lost. There is an abundance of resources available for mental wellbeing and many of them are online, which is very convenient in today's world. We all have a part to play in improving our collective mental health by learning, conversing, and actually taking steps to care for our own mental health, including asking for help when we need it. Therapy is one—not the only—way to do this, and it has the potential to help improve physical health, find a sounding board, overcome past trauma, cultivate better personal and professional relationships, get rid of bad habits, develop good ones, manage anxiety, and countless others. Sometimes we feel unwell and visit a doctor with some diagnosis in mind, usually based on something we just read on WebMD. The doctor asks some questions, runs some tests, and comes back with a finding that is nothing like we imagined. When this happens, we often feel confident in their expertise. The same is possible for mental health. Mental health professionals—and there are legion—often know the right questions to ask and the right methods to employ to help us navigate our mental care.
Just like you don't need to be physically sick to go to the doctor, you don't need to have a mental illness to try therapy. I can confidently say that I am better off because I incorporated therapy into my wellness routine, and I am not alone. Educate yourself (betterhelp is a good starting point), normalize talking about mental health with people close to you, and take advantage of any resources available to you.
It is just as important to be mentally sound as it is to be physically sound.
What steps are you taking towards caring for your mental health today?
