Mental health: another pandemic we must face in 2021.

It’s a new year, 2021 is here and we can feel a plethora of feelings for this year. Some have high expectations, and some prefer to remain cautious as to what to expect from 2021.

As countries start preparing and implementing the vaccine program, people around the world can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of this traumatic experience we have called a pandemic. Most people did not know how to respond to such stressors. It seems like it happened overnight, we were forced into lockdown, and the threat of becoming infected, losing someone, losing our jobs, or just holding the uncertainty of what we should do hit us all on different levels.

Our priorities at the beginning related to physical health. Further on, we started to notice that new issues arise, issues such as mental health and how to navigate mental problems under lockdown and isolating conditions.

What we saw in terms of mental health in 2020

Last year was highly unpredictable and anxiety-provoking for a lot of people in the world. High levels of uncertainty brought us significant mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, isolation, conflict, and more. People already had everyday challenges, and then stress was induced by online learning/working, physical and mental health, financial stress, loss, and more. Here are some common factors and universal experiences related to mental health in 2020 that we saw.

Altered sleeping patterns

This was caused by several external and internal factors. Primarily, the lack of structure and schedules pushed people to change their sleeping hours. At the beginning of lockdown many schools, jobs, and activities paused and changed overnight. We were not sure what was happening and as countries tried to prepare themselves for the economic and health impact there was a moment where structure and routine were altered. People started going to bed at late hours of the night which made them wake up later in the day, going to sleep late, wake up late cycle.

Another hypothesis comes from the anxiety provoked by safety issues regarding health, loss, and security. Anxiety can be a very effective way to keep the body and the mind awake. Ruminating on “what could happen?” thoughts prevent us from entering the relaxation stage before sleep, consequently we are not able to enter into the resting stage where our brain and body recover energy that’s required for us to feel and be rested.

It was and it’s still a learning process for all of us. Some have adapted their daily routine and some still struggle to find balance.

Isolation

This problem hit all of us and it particularly hit specific groups of people such as the elderly, vulnerable population, people studying abroad, and people who struggle with depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders. We did not think about the mental consequences that this could have on our loved ones. We kept in mind “social distancing” without realizing that this affected more people than we thought — then we started talking about physical distancing and the whole meaning and impact changed.

Moreover, some mental disorders aggravate in isolation. People with depression or anxiety have a tendency to isolate themselves, which has a direct impact on their well-being and their capacity to navigate and manage their problems. Isolation became a major problem in society. A treatment that worked well was connecting through technology. Many people started using video-calls to connect with their loved ones.

Conflict

People in general experienced conflict, particularly people living with more members in the household. Some people used the time during their commute back home or on their way to work/school to regroup and relax after a stressful day. Forcing us to work/study from home took from us those very important moments of individual space that helped us regulate our emotions.

Additionally, we had to adapt to the new dynamics of sharing all types of spaces in the household (e.g. study, work, cook, clean, rest, etc.) People were not just working, they were also cleaning, preparing meals, exercising, and doing their regular activities all within the same space with the same people. This can lead to high levels of stress, burnout, and irritability.

Domestic violence

Due to the many issues and stress factors that the pandemic brought to us, there was an increase in DV (domestic violence) around the world. Stress, uncertainty, anger, frustration, and time spent at the household are just some of the possible reasons DV has increased. The UN’s statistics say “Around one-third of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner, and 18% have experienced such violence in the past 12 months. In the most extreme cases, violence against women is lethal: globally, an estimated 137 women are killed by their intimate partner or a family member every day.”[1]

DV has been a major issue worldwide since before the pandemic. During 2020 it increased and had consequences (many of them fatal). Some countries and governments were forced to intervene, and many countries have not paid sufficient attention to this major issue.

Violence can have many shapes and forms, such as emotional, physical, psychological, sexual, etc.… Violence does not discriminate between gender, age, race, socio-economic status, culture, religion, or any other condition. Nonetheless, DV is higher in marginalized communities. Violence has a strong social factor that needs to be considered. Communities that have low access to safety, education, and present instability in the family system are at a higher risk of DV.

What we need to do in 2021

On one hand, there is a huge need for preventing fatal outcomes due to mental health complications. There is also a need as a society to break the stigma and talk about mental health, normalize going to therapy and have conversations in an educational, working, and family context regarding mental health and how to access it.

If you’re interested in booking a free consultation with me or another therapist visit

https://trywillowtherapy.com

The universal experience of feeling lonely impacted us on a micro and macro level. Today, we have access to a plethora of tools and support systems around us. It is important to identify them and seek help whenever we feel like we need it.

What we can do when we are struggling with mental health issues:

• Seek professional help.
• Identify and reach out to your support system (family, friends, community, church group, etc.…).
• Talk about it with people who you know will listen and offer validation.
• Think about the resources you have available within your community.
• Avoid isolation.
• Practice small changes that can benefit you physically and mentally.

As a family member or friend, there are also things we can do to offer support such as:

• Actively listen to the people around us.
• Offer validation.
• Help those who are struggling with mental health issues.
• Talk about mental health and normalize it.
• Seek professional help.
• Have conversations with our families and friends about mental health.

What we learned during 2020 and must keep doing

Many mental health professionals became available through teletherapy, this made it more accessible for people who were struggling and had a difficult time at home. We found out that there is flexibility regarding health providers, and we were able to provide basic health access to people worldwide.

Communities got together and started offering help and empathy to those who were more at risk. We saw resilience, we saw humor and strength amongst people, communities, and countries. We were able to collaborate internationally to offer help and support to those in need. This is something that we can and must replicate during 2021.

We must continue supporting each other, fighting for everyone to have access to mental health professionals and treatment, and finally, we must keep talking about the various experiences, traumas, and pain that the pandemic has brought to us through a collective and individual frame.