Mental Health Challenges in the COVID-19 Pandemic: 45% of US Adults Affected - Essay Sample

Introduction

The pandemic of COVID-19 and its aftermath of the economic downturn has adversely affected the mental health of many people, as it creates challenges for those suffering from mental disorders. According to the poll conducted by the KFF, approximately 45% of the adult population in the United States have experienced mental illness because of the distress and worry triggered by the virus (Liu et al., 2020). As the positive cases of COVID-19 increases, the chances of mental health risks also increases because the outcome measures such as social distancing may lead to the financial stress that promotes greater isolation among people. Despite the concept of preventing death caused by the virus, social distancing measures expose people to situations that are associated with mental illness, including unemployment and isolation (Liu et al., 2020). Notably, many people are worried about falling six, and they are uncertain about the implications of the pandemic on their lives as well as the lives of their families. The paper seeks to measure and analyze the implications of COVID-19 on social distance as an outcome measure.

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Mental Risks Due to Social Distancing

In reaction to the on-going pandemic, many governments have imposed different policies such as social distancing, quarantine for visitors, closure of schools, and non-essential businesses as well as discouraging social gatherings. Additionally, many countries have imposed a mandatory stay-at-home, especially for the non-essential service provide to prevent the spread of the virus. Research has related social distancing and loneliness to both physical and mental illness. For instance, the poll conducted in March revealed that about 47% of the people habiting in areas with a negative mental disorder caused by stress and anxiety linked to COVID-19, which is more than the 37% of the population who are not living in areas recording negative mental health (Duan & Zhu, 2020). About 21% of such people recorded a negative effect on mental health caused by distress and worry underpinning the current pandemic, while about 13% did not report negative impact (Duan & Zhu, 2020).

Mental Risks Due to Unemployment

Based on the data extracted from the United States’ Department of Labor, about 5.2 million people lost their jobs in April 2020, which brought the sum of people suffering from unemployment to about 22 million (Duan & Zhu, 2020). Understandably, the pandemic has hit some industries the hardest, including the hospitality and tourism industry. According to the analysis by the S&P Global, the rate of unemployment in the United States is projected to increase as long as the pandemic is not managed perpetually, and that may plunge the country into an economic recession (Duan & Zhu, 2020). The study also revealed that unemployment is linked to the rising state of distress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem that is expected to cause mental illness to the casualties. Therefore, social distancing as a measure of curbing the spread of the virus has caused isolation and unemployment, which leads to worry; thereby, triggering mental disorder, especially for the adults who take full responsibility for the family.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study is conducted that covers around one month, and only adults of 18 years and above were recruited in the United States through a sampling method, the participants were chosen because they could provide verbal information (Yao et al., 2020). Participants came from areas that are perceived to be hotspots, including Los Angeles and New York City. They were asked to fill in an online questionnaire because of the current social distance measures. The study used a new version of IES to assess the level of traumatic distress as a result of COVID-19. The study also involved the participants in answering questions concerning mental health implications due to the pandemic.

Discussion

Concerning the mental health implications of the pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report that addresses the mental health of the population, especially for certain high-risk individuals such as the older adults, children, and healthcare workers (Yao et al., 2020). Also, the CDC has provided a report on the recommendations underpinning distress among people and then how to cope during the pandemic (Yao et al., 2020). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), even though the relationship between drug abuse and the virus may not be predicted, there are possible relations between severe cases of the virus and the disorders caused by drug abuse (Yao et al., 2020). Notably, out of the 6.5 million young people who were experiencing serious psychological disorders in 2018, around 44%, were recorded to be visiting mental health professionals in one year (Yao et al., 2020).

Conclusion

It is worth noting that the current COVID-19 pandemic has triggered mental health disorders among people around the world, especially due to the measures taken to curb the spread of the virus, including social distancing, which has caused isolation among people. As unemployment escalates and a significant population loses their jobs, the result would be distress, worry, and depression that causes mental illness. The shortage of mental health professionals has caused limited access to mental care, which may be aggravated by the current pandemic. More imperatively, as the policymakers perpetually suggest measures of alleviating the risks of the virus, data will be needed to measure the increasing effect on mental health and drug abuse.

References

Duan, L., & Zhu, G. (2020). Psychological interventions for people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(4), 300-302.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30073-0/fulltext

Liu, S., Yang, L., Zhang, C., Xiang, Y. T., Liu, Z., Hu, S., & Zhang, B. (2020). Online mental health services in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(4), e17-e18.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30077-8/fulltext

Yao, H., Chen, J. H., & Xu, Y. F. (2020). Patients with mental health disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(4), e21.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30090-0/fulltext?fbclid=IwAR1SZKyMFNC4ngsiAq7v_JMx09wwwqPPDuaU8sgK47ryBXedW120fpHk5w8