With the spread of COVID-19, it’s no surprise that mental health has been hypothesized to be declining due to the high mortality rates of the virus and the general isolation from friends, family and the daily routine that people were accustomed to before the pandemic.
Although stay at home orders have eased since their commencement in March 2020 and people can now go to work, run errands and eat at restaurants, there are still various restrictions such as social distancing and mask ordinances. Life just isn’t the same as it was before the pandemic, making individuals feel quite lonely and depressed.
In addition, outside stressors caused by the election, issues at home and toxic or abusive relationships may impact an already altered mental health state. All of these factors have caused many people to either enter a state of depression or worsen their pre-existing state.
However, mental health is being overlooked. Physical health has become the main concern, which is understandable considering over 11 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and over 246,000 people have, unfortunately, died from it. Yet, with all of this happening, many people’s mental health states are getting much worse. People may not even realize that their own friends and family may be suffering because they are focused on the physical impacts of COVID-19, causing an overlook of the warning signs of someone’s mental health decline.
As comedian and mental health advocate Kevin Breel says, “We live in a world where if you break your arm, everyone runs over to sign your cast, but if you tell people you’re depressed, everyone runs the other way.”
It’s important to acknowledge mental health during these tough times because many are suffering, which has already caused an increase in the U.S. suicide rate.
I do think that mental health has always been something overlooked, but during the time of COVID-19, it has been overlooked even more due to the focus on physical health. Mental health needs to be acknowledged and people need help. It may be difficult to physically check in on friends and family due to restrictions, but even a message or phone call can help. Times are tough and stressful at the moment, and both physical and mental health need to be balanced and addressed.
