This article was written by Daria Melikova of Richard Montgomery High School
Trigger Warning: This article discusses mental health issues including depression and suicide.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing guidelines have been instituted all around the country. While this has been important in curbing the rise of coronavirus cases, social distancing has also resulted in a major increase in mental illnesses among a wide range of different people. Stress over getting the virus and uncertainty over the state of the world have all had a negative impact on many. These worries and burdens, paired with loneliness and isolation from social distancing, heightens the strain on people’s mental health.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), studies on the psychological effects of quarantine during other disease outbreaks indicate that social distancing can in fact contribute to poor mental health due to loneliness. Though the pandemic has negatively impacted people’s mental health overall, data shows that those that were in isolation experienced worse effects. A KFF Tracking Poll done towards the end of March—after many states enforced stay-at-home orders—shows that 47 percent of those that were sheltering-in-place indicated that they had negative mental health effects, with 21 percent of them reporting that these were major. On the other hand, 37 percent of those not sheltering-in-place stated that they experienced worsened mental health problems, with 13 percent indicating that the effects were strongly negative, which are much lower percentage points than those of people isolating at home.
Part of the reasoning behind this is that social distancing can cause a decline in how much support one believes they are getting as well as what they’re actually getting. This “lack of social support can increase the risk for a variety of mental health problems, including depression,” Sarah Lowe, an assistant professor of social and behavioral sciences at Yale’s School of Public Health, said. While virtual communication through Zoom and other online platforms can be helpful, it isn’t the same as the physical aspect of support from seeing someone in person and can result in people feeling isolated and unloved.
Furthermore, since isolation is a major risk factor for suicidal thoughts, there is particular concern for a rise in suicides, especially among adolescents. According to KFF, suicidal ideation is already largely prevalent among this age group, with suicides being the second highest cause of death among those ages 12 to 17, a rate that has increased over time. With the transition to online learning, students have had less opportunities to spend time with peers and their access to social, physical and mental health services has been largely limited. With these setbacks, those that already have mental illnesses could feel worse, and others could begin to develop them. In fact, a KFF Tracking Poll from the middle of July found that 67 percent of parents with children ages 5 to 17 were concerned that their kids would fall behind emotionally and socially if schools remained closed.
Another major risk group is older adults ages 65 and up, who are not only more vulnerable to the virus but are also at a higher risk of experiencing worse mental health as a result of the pandemic. As it is even more important for them to social distance, many feel much more uncertainty, anxiety and loneliness because of limited interactions with their caregivers, friends and family. Like adolescents, older adults are also already at a higher risk for depression and are often undertreated and misdiagnosed for it.
Aside from depression and suicidal ideation, there are other mental illnesses that could arise from social distancing. For one, people could develop post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, from the feelings of hopelessness and loneliness during this time. As New York City psychologist and anxiety specialist Amelia Aldao states, “There’s an inherent grief that comes with social distancing and how our social lives have changed drastically and will continue to change over time.” In addition to this, with the increased fear about contamination and germs—which, for some, might become mysophobia—anxiety over safely emerging back into public life could develop into agoraphobia. This is a condition in which one has a deep fear of leaving their home or another safe space. People could end up feeling scared, panicked, helpless, trapped or embarrassed as they attempt to return back to their normal lives, especially after having been at home for such a long time. Recovering from such traumatic events could take a long time, and anxieties caused by the pandemic may not be so easy to forget for a while after it comes to an end.
This is, without a doubt, a very stressful and challenging time, so it should come as no surprise that mental health issues have been steadily on the rise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At times, everything may seem completely hopeless, but there are ways to minimize the negative mental impacts of social distancing. Take breaks from reading, watching or listening to news stories and instead spend some time relaxing and doing the things you enjoy. Even if virtual communication isn’t the same as spending time with people in person, it’s better than nothing; try to connect with friends and family and talk to them about how you’re feeling, and join online clubs and communities that interest you to meet new people. It’s also important to build a routine and form daily habits to add at least some predictability to life and relieve anxiety.
It’s important to remember that this pandemic has affected everyone in different ways and that everyone's response to it will be completely unique. If you or someone you know is looking for help and relief from a mental illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have provided ample resources for ways to cope and hotlines to call or text.
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