Mental Health: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Still Affecting Our Lives

September 26, 2022

Around the first months of 2020, everyone got struck by the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the whole world. Since then, a lot of things have changed in our daily lives.

Most of us were forced to stay indoors for a considerable amount of time. Activities like work, school and entertainment had to transform and digital tools became the norm for almost everyone.

However, even though staying at home seemed like a little vacation at first, little by little the not-so-good stuff started to get noticeable and isolation proved to be too difficult to bear for some.

After a couple of years into this pandemic, we've come to understand a bit more how to cope with the new "normal" world we have to face. We are all taking extra care of our mental health, as we now realize it's just as important as our physical health.

Although lockdowns and social distancing are pretty much gone by now, the long-term effects of the pandemic are still present, especially those concerning mental health disorders.

Here are some facts and figures about the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published by Mental Health America in April 2022:

• In 2021, Mental Health screens increased nearly 500% compared to 2019, with over 5.4 million people seeking professional care.

• These are the TOP-10 concerns contributing to Mental Health problems in the U.S.:
• Loneliness or Social Isolation
• Past Trauma
• Social Life or Relationship Problems
• Grief or Loss of someone or something
• Coronavirus
• Current Events (news, politics, etc.)
• Difficulties at school
• Financial Problems
• Racism
• Bullying

• PTSD, severe anxiety, and psychotic-like experiences are among the most common mental health risks, especially during the pandemic.

• Compared to other ethnicities, Black individuals from the U.S. were the most affected by moderate to severe anxiety during the pandemic, with a 5% increase from 2019 to 2021.

• Throughout the pandemic, youth ages 11-17 were more likely to score with moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety than any other age group.

• Adults who identified as LGBTQ+ were nearly 10% more likely to screen with moderate/severe depression than non-LGBTQ+ adults. 95% of youth (11-17) who identified as LGBTQ+ scored with moderate/severe depression as well.

• During 2021, the rates of Suicidal Ideation and Thoughts of Self-Harm reached new-high levels with an increase of 8% compared to 2019, and 2% compared to 2020.

Mental Health disorders can affect anyone, beyond age, race, financial status, sex or background. If you (or someone you know) need assistance, it's important to remember that help is always available. You are NOT alone!

And since taking care of our Kosmic Tribes is the most important thing for us, you can find contact info about organizations that specialize on Mental Health in our blog.

Don’t forget to check out our Kosmic Dust Online Store, where you'll find a great selection of supplements specifically selected to enhance your performance, including your focus, concentration and rest, all of them key to improving our general mental well-being.

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