Mental Health Concerns During COVID-19

When I say "COVID-19" or "Coronavirus", what does that evoke in you? For many of us, this is an extremely difficult time in our world full of unprecedented change and lack of preferred routine and structure. Whether it be working from home when you usually spend 40 hours a week in the office, or learning how to be a “homeschooling parent,” or having to social distance and isolate because it is harmful to our health to go to any social gatherings or public places. 

Maybe your wedding got postponed. Perhaps your child’s graduation ceremony got cancelled. Whatever the case is, we are all experiencing a time of turmoil and increased stress amidst trying to find our new normal. With these drastic changes and increased stress comes increased anxiety and depression, both in individuals who already experience these mental health struggles and in individuals who have never had anxiety or depression before. 

The purpose of this article is to briefly describe signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression in yourself and in your loved ones. With this information, it is our hope as mental health professionals that you feel some sense or normalcy and calm knowing that you are most certainly not alone, and that there are some wonderful resources available to you in the form of self-care (i.e. taking care of yourself and your anxiety/depression) as well as professional assistance.

The current pandemic is causing levels of uncertainty that many of us have never experienced before. With that said, increased stress, anxiety, and/or depression is normal and expected, especially due to the fear that COVID-19 has created in society and in our personal lives. How do you recognize anxiety and depression? What are the signs and symptoms that you or a loved one may be feeling? Let’s start with anxiety.

Ultimately, anxiety is a feeling of worry or unease that may be associated with a particular event or situation and is often made worse by apprehension over an uncertain outcome. You can look at anxiety as stress’s older, more cumbersome and intense brother. Below are some typical signs and symptoms of anxiety, although keep in mind that anxiety may present itself differently from person to person and this is not an exhaustive list. 

Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety: 

• Excessive worry, nervousness, or feeling of unease (perhaps you are worried about normal day-to-day activities that you were once able to complete with ease)
• Having a sense of impending danger, doom or panic (this one is super important to watch for during the current pandemic crisis)
• Recurring thoughts or concerns that may become intrusive
• Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, increased agitation
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Physical signs such as tense muscles, headaches, upset stomach, increased heart rate, sweating or trembling 

Next, let’s look at the definition and signs/symptoms of depression. Depression is referred to as a mood disorder that can cause an intense and consistent feeling of sadness, lack of interest, or low self-esteem in an individual. Depression can present itself in various ways can can vary significantly from person to person, including the severity of symptoms. 

Signs & Symptoms of Depression: 

• Sadness and hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in things you would normally enjoy (not having energy to play with your kids or work on home projects as you used to)
• Mood swings
• Excessive crying spells
• Social isolation (perhaps you don’t have the energy to call your best friend on a daily basis anymore as you once did)
• Excess sleepiness or feeling tired all the time
• Weight gain or weight loss 

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above signs & symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, related to the COVID-19 pandemic or not, there are an abundance of resources available to you when reaching out to a mental health professional. 

From your local therapist, the following are suggestions for self-care related to stress, anxiety, and depression that you can do at home. 

• Shower and change into clean clothes on a daily basis (even if that means a new pair of pajamas!) 
• Open all shades and curtains to let natural sunlight & warmth in
• Practice guided meditation as a relaxing strategy
• Call at least one friend and/or family member each day
• Keep physically active as much as possible. 

If you feel as though these home tips just aren’t enough, please seek help from an appropriate therapist or counselor. Many therapists are now seeing clients via telehealth (through a computer, smart phone, or phone calls).

Here at EVOLVEwithin, we are taking new clients via telehealth and will soon return to in-person sessions when it is safe to do so. You can contact us directly at 262-649-3297 to schedule an appointment!

Take care of your inner self. Both COVID-19 and mental health are pretty invisible, but that doesn’t make them less important. These areas of focus within our health is not something to overlook.

Article contribution by Hannah Stadler, MS, MFT-IT