How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Been Affecting Mental Health?
It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on many lives both physically and mentally. Something that most people do not realize is how the pandemic has contributed to mental health problems. The pandemic has caused psychological stressors that have caused the rate of mental illness to go up and well-being to decrease in low, medium, and high income countries (Ivbijaro et al., 2020).
This video presents a perfect representation of a couple of different ways the pandemic has affected mental health. One example that was brought up in the video was that those who were struggling prior to the pandemic are the ones who are struggling now. Parrish (2020), brings up the fact that many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic will result in the exacerbation of mental illnesses such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and many others.
The video brings up some great tips on how to reduce the feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and helplessness. By practicing different techniques like using Facetime or video calls to communicate with family members, practicing meditation, or outdoor/indoor exercise can help to overcome the negative impacts that the pandemic has had on mental health (Ivbijaro et al., 2020).
The video above depicts the toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the mental health of healthcare workers working the front lines. Hearing about the experiences from actual healthcare workers is a clear indicator of the accuracy of the information. AHC Media (2021), brings up the point that the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises’ can negatively affect the mental health of healthcare workers and one of these outcomes may be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A common misconception is that only the frontline healthcare workers are struggling greatly throughout the pandemic but healthcare workers in other settings are struggling in their own ways as well. A study that was preformed showed that healthcare workers working in the outpatient setting are worrying about things like the quality and access of care their patients are receiving (AHC Media, 2021).
The video above shows a personal experience of a woman who contracted COVID-19 and experienced what it was like to be hospitalized with others who had also contracted the virus. Many people like the woman in this video who has asthma or any other underlying medical condition, feared for the worst if they were to contract COVID-19. Some things that may exacerbate symptoms of long term physical health conditions could be stress and negative changes to diet or physical activity which are all things that many people were and are experiencing throughout the pandemic (Fisher et al., 2021).
Conclusion
By reading on the experiences of the people featured in the included videos, it is clear to see that COVID-19 has impacted people in many different ways. Regardless of the profession, someone somewhere has been affected by the pandemic in some way. Healthcare workers on the front lines and those in other work settings are experiencing negative effects on their mental health from the pandemic. It is important to participate in acts of self care and reach out for help when needed.
References
AHC Media. (2021). Reproductive Healthcare Workers Affected by Mental Health Stressors of Pandemic: Severe psychological distress can occur. Contraceptive Technology Update, 42(5), 1-4.
Fisher, A., Roberts, A., McKinlay, A.R., Fancourt, D., Burton, A. (2021). The impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on mental health and well-being of people living with a long-term physical health condition: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-12.
Ivbijaro, G., Brooks, C., Kolkiewicz, L., Sunkel, C., Long, A. (2020). Psychological impact and psychosocial consequences of the COVID 19 pandemic Resilience, mental well-being, and the coronavirus pandemic. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 62, S395-S403.
Parrish, E. (2020). The next pandemic: COVID-19 mental health pandemic. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 56(3), 485-485.
The European Lung Foundation. (2021, April 20). Helen Parks: My COVID-19 story . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwASUzJDW0Q.
The Health Foundation. (2020, December 21). Surviving COVID: the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of NHS workers . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xokulltgi-I&t=1s.
University of Arizona Health Sciences. (2020, June 18). Expert Insights: How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting our mental health? . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x2U1_zX7Lw.
World Health Organization. (2021). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1.
As a healthcare worker I find this blog helpful and eye-opening. Working in a skilled nursing facility my facility was 1 of 4 without covid in the state of RI. November, 2020 came and our facility went from 1 positive, to 5 positives, to a total facility outbreak within one week. Every resident was impacted with covid, and 95% of the employees. This was devastating as Our facility had held so strong. As stated in the videos utilizing FaceTime was a big impact when families were not allowed in. We often relied on FaceTime to keep hope alive and during the unfortunate times when their loved ones were passing away. Covid-19 has taken the toll on everyone, as stated you or someone you know was directly impacted causing the mental toll. Educating the public with resources on ways to assist someone whom may be struggling will assist in the over well-being and contribute to the decrease in mental health stigma.
Thank you for sharing this informative blog post on the mental health impact of Covid 19 on people who struggle with mental health prior to the pandemic, healthcare workers on the front lines, and those whom have experienced Covid 19 as a patient in the hospital. I found the media clips to have a powerful impact on how a person may perceive the physical and mental toll of the virus on all of us. It was enlightening to see the strategies for self-care to alleviate mental health issues like connecting with friends and family through virtual platforms.
Having worked in a skilled nursing facility during the pandemic, I have seen the mental toll that it has taken on many patients in my facility, both short term and long term, due to the physical isolation during several Covid waves in our facility. Many lives were lost during these waves but the psychosocial impact has also come at a premium cost. I hope that through stories like these and continued research on mental health and Covid 19, we will be able to form new and better ways to manage the mental impact of traumatizing events for those whom have been impacted.
Thank you for sharing this beneficial, appropriate, and relatable topic! As a healthcare worker myself, I absolutely can identify with this topic and agree that there is a definite connection between the effects of COVID and a healthcare workers mental health. I feel as though the media did not do the best job at highlighting this topic and the videos you chose good sources with reports from medical professionals.
I think is an awesome topic to discuss. I am a health care worker and I notice a lot of the population has taken into consideration the physical problems that correlate with Covid-19 but miss the mental problems behind it all. I worked at a nursing home when Covid first hit. We were one of just a few that did not catch Covid-19. In February 2021, Covid hit our facility bad. Residents were dying, there was no staff to come in. I worked doubles for almost 3 weeks straight. Mental health of Covid-19 should be dealt with for patients and health care workers as well. Working those many hours and dealing with what I did, my mental state was not good. For the residents, they were so sick, stuck in their rooms and not able to speak to their loved ones. This crisis took a huge toll on our world. Like your blog stated, FaceTime was definitely helpful for these patients to see their loved ones faces. Talking on the phone was good but seeing the ones you love is just so much more comforting. We also allowed patients families to sit outside their windows which seemed to be beneficial. Covid-19 hurt us all physically and mentally and still is affecting us. Thank you so much for choosing a topic that is relatable and eye opening for people. You did a great job!
Your fact or fiction blog was very good. I liked how you summarized each video separately. It made it easier to follow and easier to understand. I liked the videos and pictures that you chose to use as well. Being a healthcare worker nowadays has been challenging and overwhelming! Mental health needs more recognition and I’m so happy you did this blog on how COVID-19 has taken a toll on so many of us! Overall awesome job!