The topic of mental health is no stranger to this blog. For our family, the debt freedom journey has been very much so a mental journey but it has been nothing like the mental journey we’ve been through the past few months. (And we were homeless at one point.) I knew if it was impacting me so significantly, it had to be having a huge impact nationwide. So, I decided to take a look at COVID-19 and mental health.
COVID-19 and Mental Health Numbers
There are a lot of things that can come up when you are urged to spend most of your time indoors. For many people, depression is one of the first things that starts to set in. In general, humans are social. Most folks look forward to human interaction. So, without it, it is easy to start to get depressed.
For individuals with pre-existing mental health disorders, the threat of a mental breakdown during this time is even higher. Add the struggles of the COVID-19 era into that, and you have the perfect recipe for personal disaster.
“We’re talking about a population that struggles with being housed, being able to feed themselves, being able to take care of medical issues, having enough of an income,” Dr. Fumi Mitsuishi told Healthline.
How Coronavirus Impacted My Mental Health
I struggle with anxiety and depression anyway (typically seasonal), but this entire ordeal has had me out of sorts. I’ve noted more mood changes recently and definitely more low/sad points. It hasn’t been a fun time and my life hasn’t changed that much.
There were a number of things I was looking forward to that were canceled (two stand-up shows, one concert, two trips). We also weren’t able to celebrate our first wedding anniversary the way we would’ve liked. Also, because we are stuck in a 500 square-foot studio apartment, we spend a lot of time right on top of each other.
But, we have a lot to be thankful for. We’re able to get by financially and we are both in good health. However, it is so easy to slip into depression or even fall back into bad habits with everything going on in the world.
If You Need Help
No one should let COVID-19 and mental health take over their lives. If you need help, there are resources available to you.
- Have a friend or family member to check-in with on a regular basis.
- Reach out to the Suicide Prevention Hotline if you are having suicidal thoughts or feel depressed. The hotline number is 1(800)273-8255.
- The Mental Health Hotline can help you talk through your feelings. They can be reached at 1(800)950-6264.
- Individuals with a substance abuse issue should call their sponsor or reach out to the Substance Abuse Hotline. Their number is 1(800)662-4357.
- Call your health-care provider or therapist. Ask for their recommendations on how to handle your condition and feelings.
Remember, your own mental health and well-being is the most important thing. This will pass with time and you will come out on the other side stronger. Readers, how are you dealing with COVID-19 and mental health?
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