Most of us are all too familiar with the extended bouts of isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our kids are feeling it, too. They’re separated from their peers in online school. Sports and extracurriculars have been cancelled. Parents have lost a stable routine and are dealing with the added stress of having their children home 24/7. On top of that, if you’re working on the frontlines, you must return to traumatic environments day after day. Sure, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine helping us to eventually reach herd immunity. However, the immense effects on our individual and collective mental health will continue to plague us long after the physical severity of the pandemic eases. 

“‘We don’t have a vaccine for our mental health like we do for our physical health… so, it will take longer to come out of those challenges’”

(Rogers)

Being forced to stay at home or limit social circles for long periods of time impacts youth development and puts higher stress on parents, which can negatively affect the home dynamic. Signs of anxiety and depression may become evident in children and teens. They may lose motivation to keep up with online school, or remain holed up in their rooms and not want to interact with people. Others may have trouble sleeping because of stress and trauma related to the pandemic. Those with eating or substance use disorders may have increased risks of relapse due to a disrupted schedule or triggering environments.

Each of us has experienced the pandemic differently. Communities of people who were already discriminated against before COVID-19 have exacerbated challenges and inequities as a result of pandemic-related racism and/or economic disparity. Occupation also has an influence. Frontline workers face immense trauma and continued exhaustion, but must put on a brave face and keep returning to work. Those who have been furloughed because of the economic fallout may live in constant stress about finding a job and feeding their families. COVID-19 has caused some kind of shift in everyone’s lives.

Whether you are a young person or an adult, it is important to find healthy coping strategies to deal with pandemic-related stress. Some recommendations from the CDC include connecting with others, getting enough sleep, eating well, making time for movement, taking breaks from news and/or social media, practicing mindfulness, and more. You are not alone during this time. In order to come out of this stronger than before, we need to prioritize mental health just as much as physical, and support one another.  

So put on your favorite song and dance around the living room with your family. Try that YouTube yoga class you’ve been putting off. Light yourself a candle, run a bath, and tell your children you are taking 10 minutes of alone time. Stick an encouraging note in your child’s desk. Go give your significant other a hug. Let’s not force ourselves to think big right now—things are already hard. Find one small thing that will bring you joy and commit to doing it today. That is more than enough.

SOURCES:

• “Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html. 
• “Mental Health & COVID-19: See the Public Health Impact.” Online Masters in Public Health, 30 Apr. 2020, mphdegree.usc.edu/blog/mental-health-implications-of-the-covid-19-crisis/. 
• Rogers, Kristen. “Mental Health Is One of the Biggest Pandemic Issues We’ll Face in 2021.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 Jan. 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/01/04/health/mental-health-during-covid-19-2021-stress-wellness/index.html.