Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
An urgent problem
Both SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected the mental health of adults and children. In a 2021 study, nearly half of Americans surveyed reported recent symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, and 10% of respondents felt their mental health needs were unmet. Rates of anxiety, depression and substance use disorders have increased since the pandemic began. And people who have mental illnesses or disorders and then contract COVID-19 are more likely to die than those who do not have mental illnesses or disorders.
Mental health is a focus of NIH research during the COVID-19 pandemic. NIH and NIH-supported researchers create and study tools and strategies to understand, diagnose, and prevent mental illnesses or disorders and improve mental health care for those who need it.
How COVID-19 can impact mental health
If you get COVID-19, you may experience a number of symptoms related to brain and mental health, including:
Data suggests that people are more likely to develop mental illnesses or disorders in the months following infection, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). People with Long COVID may have many symptoms related to brain function and mental health.
How the pandemic affects brain development
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health is not yet fully understood. NIH-funded research studies factors that may influence children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development during the pandemic, including:
Not everyone is affected in the same way
Although the COVID-19 pandemic can affect anyone’s mental health, some people are more likely to be affected than others. People most likely to experience symptoms of mental illness or disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic include:
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People from racial and ethnic minority groups
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Mothers and pregnant people
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People in financial or housing precarious situations
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Children
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People with Disabilities
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People with pre-existing mental illnesses or substance abuse issues
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Healthcare workers
People in more than one of these groups may be at even higher risk of mental illness.
The potential of telehealth to help
The pandemic has prevented many people from seeing healthcare professionals in person, and as a result, telehealth has been more widely adopted during this time. Telehealth visits for mental health and substance use disorders increased significantly from 2020 to 2021 and now account for nearly half of all total visits for behavioral health reasons.
Widespread adoption of telehealth services could help people who might not otherwise be able to access mental health support, such as people living in rural areas or places where there are few providers.
