mental health during the covid-19 pandemic mental health during the covid-19 pandemic the covid-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of people across the globe. the pandemic has caused widespread anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. according to the un health agency who, in the first year of the covid-19 pandemic, prevalence of common mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, went up by more than 25 per cent. the pandemic has damaged social relationships, trust in institutions and in other people, has caused changes in work and income, and has imposed a substantial burden of anxiety and worry on the population. women and young people, especially lgbtq youth, face the greatest risk of depression and anxiety. for an associated topic, see impact of the covid-19 pandemic on neurological, psychological and other mental health outcomes. part of a series on thecovid-19 pandemicscientifically accurate atomic model of the external structure of sars-cov-2. each "ball" is an atom. covid-19 (disease) sars-cov-2 (virus) cases deaths timeline 2019 2020 january responses february responses march responses april responses may responses june responses july responses august responses september responses october responses november responses december responses 2021 january responses february responses march responses april responses may responses june responses july responses august responses september responses october responses november responses december responses 2022 january responses february responses march responses april responses may responses june responses july responses august responses september responses october responses november december 2023 january february march april may locations by country and territory africa antarctica asia europe north america oceania south america by conveyance cruise ships naval ships international response endemic phase evacuations face masks international aid investigations into origin lockdowns by country misinformation by governments fake treatments social distancing software travel united nations world health organization wto ip waiver undercounting of deaths covid-19 apps zero-covid national responses africa china european union germany ghana india ireland netherlands new zealand nigeria philippines russia sweden uk government us federal government vietnam medical response disease testing breathalyzer development drug development drug repurposing public health mitigation vaccines history research vitt deployment authorizations operation warp speed misinformation and hesitancy us vaccine card vaccine passports current vaccines coronavac covaxin convidecia janssen medigen moderna novavax oxford–astrazeneca pfizer–biontech sinopharm bibp sputnik v variants variants of concern alpha beta gamma delta omicron other variants epsilon zeta eta theta iota kappa lambda mu cluster 5 lineage b.1.617 economic impact and recession arts and culture aviation cannabis cinema films disney fashion financial markets food industry food security journalism music performing arts retail shipping television us sportscasting programs tourism video games by country canada india ireland malaysia new zealand russia uk us by sport association football baseball basketball combat sports cricket disc golf gaelic games gridiron football ice hockey motorsport rugby league impacts animals black people crime death rates by country disability domestic violence emergency evacuations education female environment hospitals language lgbt community long-term care media coverage mental health symptoms migration military notable deaths other health issues politics diplomacy popular culture protests pregnancy prisons religion catholic church hajj science and technology social media strikes suicides telehealth xenophobia and racism society ireland malaysia new zealand russia uk us covid-19 portal the pandemic resulted in spikes in anxiety and depression in the general public. covid-19 triggered issues caused by substance use disorders (suds). the pandemic disproportionately affects people with suds. the health consequences of suds (for example, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes, immunosuppression and central nervous system depression, and psychiatric disorders), and the associated environmental challenges (such as housing instability, unemployment, and criminal justice involvement), are associated with an increased risk for contracting covid-19. confinement rules, as well as unemployment and fiscal austerity measures during and following the pandemic period, can also affect the illicit drug market and patterns of use among consumers of illicit drugs drastically. mitigation measures (i.e. physical distancing, quarantine, and isolation) can worsen loneliness, mental health symptoms, withdrawal symptoms, and psychological trauma. predictors and potential causes of mental health symptoms an exhausted anesthesiologist physician in pesaro, italy, march 2020 sign in a gym in ireland discouraging casual social contact due to the risk of infection. loss of these kind of interactions has had an impact on many people during the pandemic. the known causes of mental health issues during the pandemic included fear of infection, stigma associated with infection, isolation (imposed by individuals sheltering on their own or in compliance with lockdowns), and masks. billions of people shifted to remote work, temporary unemployment, homeschooling or distance education, and lack of physical contact with family members, friends and colleagues. unknowns as the pandemic began, the risks were uncertain. as sick people flooded into hospitals and official advice evolved, the lack of information increased stress and anxiety. many uncertainties surrounded the beginning of the pandemic, including estimating infection risk, symptom overlap between covid-19 and other health problems. lack of preparation during the first wave of the epidemic, critical supplies were quickly exhausted. the most prominent items were personal protective equipment (ppe) for hospital workers and ventilators for treatment. at the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, a national survey found that many medical facilities were running out of ppe supplies, including one third of the surveyed medical facilities reporting being out of face masks and a quarter reporting a shortage or almost shortage of gowns. another study reported that 63.3% of nurses agreed with the statement, “i am worried about inadequate personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel (ppe)”. stigma as the pandemic began, anyone who interacted with infected people had to address the possibility that they might have been infected themselves and might therefore present an unknown risk to their family and others. in some cases, they were initially stigmatized. isolation many care homes subjected their residents to enforced isolation. they were locked into their rooms around the clock, including at mealtimes when their meals were delivered to their doors. visitors were not allowed, nor was any socialization among the residents. powerlessness nurses worked longer hours during the pandemic, which increased anxiety in many. many patients rapidly progressed once in the hospital to the icu and ultimately, death. the absence of approved therapeutics meant that palliative care (supplemental oxygen, ventilators and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) were the only options. in some cases, this stimulated frustration and a sense of powerlessness. disruption those caring for covid-19 patients were subject strict biosecurity measures, consigned to wearing gowns, uncomfortable masks and face shields at work. after returning home, many changed clothes before entering and isolated themselves, in an attempt to protect their families. their jobs demanded constant awareness and vigilance, reduced their autonomy, reduced access to social support, reduced self-care, uncertainty about the effects of long-term exposure to covid-19 patients, and fear of infecting others. in some jurisdictions, schools were closed during the early months of the pandemic. such closures increased anxiety, loneliness, stress, sadness, frustration, indiscipline, and hyperactivity among children. prevention and management coping with bipolar disorder and other mental health issues during covid-19 infographic the guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support of the inter-agency standing committee of the united nations recommends that mental health support during an emergency "do no harm, promote human rights and equality, use participatory approaches, build on existing resources and capacities, adopt multi-layered interventions and work with integrated support systems." one author suggested implementing habits that act as "psychological ppe". these habits include healthy eating, healthy coping mechanisms, and practicing mindfulness and relaxation methods. another method that many companies followed for their employees was to provide the employees with specific mental health improvement programs in order to increase the morale of the employees and improve their mental health. world health organization and centers for disease control guidelines who and cdc issued guidelines for minimizing mental health issues during the pandemic. the summarized guidelines are: for general population be empathetic to affected individuals. use people-first language while describing infected individuals. (for example, instead of saying "a schizophrenic person, say "a person with schizophrenia"). minimize watching the news to reduce anxiety. seek information only from trusted sources, preferably once or twice a day. protect yourself and be supportive to others. amplify positive stories of local infected people. honor healthcare workers who are caring for those with covid-19. implement positive thinking. engage in hobbies. avoid negative coping strategies, such as avoidance of crowds and pandemic news coverage. for healthcare workers