The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19

In the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic, the share of US adults who said concerns and stress related to the coronavirus had a negative impact on their mental health increased from about one third (32%) in March 2020 to about half (53%) in July 2020. With the end of the pandemic in sight as millions of Americans are getting vaccinated against the disease, the mental health impact appears to have leveled off. The March 2021 KFF COVID-19 Vaccine About half of adults (47%) continue to report negative mental health impacts related to worry or stress from the pandemic.

Younger adults and women, including mothers with children under 18 years old in their households, are likely to report stress and worry related to the coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health. Nearly half of Black adults (49%), White adults (48%), and about four in ten Hispanic adults (43%) say the coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health, including three in ten Black adults (31%) and one-fourth of White (23%) and Hispanic (25%) adults who say it has had a “major impact”. Smaller shares of adults ages 65 and older, and men (including fathers with children in the home) say they have experienced mental health impact from the coronavirus. It is notable that some previous studies have shown that men, older adults, and Black adults may be less likely to report mental health difficulties and more likely to face challenges accessing mental health care.

One in three COVID-19 survivors were diagnosed with a brain or psychiatric disorder within six months of infection.

If stress, grief, and isolation associated with COVID-19 weren’t enough, a new study suggests that a third of COVID-19 survivors were diagnosed with a neurological or mental illness within six months of their COVID-19 diagnoses. Among the most common were mood and anxiety disorders.
There are also disorders, including dementia and stroke, that occurred less often, but were more common in people with severe COVID-19. These are scary findings for people who battled COVID-19.
This data came from a study of more than 236,000 COVID-19 survivors. The study focused on 14 neurological and mental health disorders. They analyzed more than 236,000 COVID-19 survivors focused on 14 neurological and mental health disorders. The study discovered that 34% of patients were diagnosed with mental health disorders 6 months after contracting the coronavirus. Commonly, these disorders ranged from anxiety disorders to substance abuse disorders, insomnia, brain hemorrhage, stroke and (rare) dementia.

For 13% of those patients, it was their first diagnosis of this kind.

The impact of COVID-19 on the brain remains unclear. “We now have to see what happens beyond six months. The study cannot reveal the mechanisms involved, but points to the need for urgent research to identify them to prevent or treat them,” said co-author Max Taquet of the University of Oxford in the release.

Steps you can take to minimize the mental health effects of a COVID-19 infection

Get Vaccinated. The antibodies from contracting COVID-19 go away, so vaccination can help your body not get infected again. Consult your health care provider for guidance.

Get Relaxed. There are many online therapies, and even apps like Calm can help your state of mind.

Get Physical. Physical activity can be as effective as medications on mood and anxiety.

Get Outside. The sun is an important source of vitamin D and has been shown to reduce depression

Get Connected. Check-in with family and friends and stay connected. This has been shown to lessen rates of depression and anxiety.