“Will it ever get any better?”
You may have found yourself asking this question, or something similar, over the last few months. And who would blame you?
COVID-19 has affected every aspect of our society. What were once typical activities—going out to eat, attending a sporting event, or even getting a hug from a friend—are now met with caution. Social distancing has become the new norm!
The situation with the coronavirus pandemic has brought forth a rise of distress not known for generations. In turn, this has caused an epidemic of trauma and depression that is without precedent for a hundred years.
How exactly is the traumatic stress of COVID-19 is causing depression?
Breaking Down the Numbers
An article in the New York Times reports startling research on just how many Americans are struggling with depression. For instance:
- The National Center of Health Statistics found that 1 in 2 Americans now reports experiencing some form an anxiety disorder. (Keep in mind that in the previous year that number was 1 in 12.)
- Kaiser Family Foundation said that 53% of Americans reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting their mental well-being. And for African-Americans in particular, the percentage dramatically rises to 68%.
Clearly, the pandemic is affecting our mental health. But why?
When Our Efforts are Meaningless
First, there is the sense of futility that we feel regarding this disease. We take precautions such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and washing our hands frequently. And if possible we work from home and avoid crowded places.
Yet, the case count keeps rises! As does the number of people who continue to die from COVID-19. When you are doing everything you can but the problem is still there, you tend to feel that your efforts are all for nothing. That’s really demoralizing and certainly contributes to depression.
Our Responsibilities Have Only Increased
The pandemic has only increased our responsibilities. For those of us who are still lucky to be working, there is more to do but without the resources of an office and coworkers. Plus, millions of schoolchildren are attending classes remotely. And their parents now must navigate online learning for their kids while working and also taking care of the household.
This is more stress to pile onto a situation while, at the same time, everyone’s health and physical safety are at risk for contracting a terrible disease. Needless to say, that’s a lot of pressure!
The Future and Traumatic Stress
One of the fascinating qualities of being human is our tendency to look towards the future. It’s that spirit of optimism that can get us through a tough workday as we look forward to the weekend, for example. And we also see this spirit as our society passes from one generation to another.
But what about now? There are many questions on everyone’s mind. For example:
- When will there be a vaccine?
- How soon will it be available?
- What will happen with my kids’ education this year?
- In what ways will this experience affect them?
- Will I be able to keep my job?
The truth of the matter is that we just don’t know. At best, we can make logical assumptions, but that’s all.
Traumatic stress makes it very hard to plan for the future or even to have anything positive to look forward too. Instead, we are stuck at home and fed a very depressing cycle of news. Are we doomed to live like this from now on?
What You Can Do
This form of traumatic stress is being felt by every one of us, in our own ways. The distress of the coronavirus pandemic has caused us to change our routines with not much hope for the immediate future. It’s no wonder then that people are struggling with trauma and depression.
But there is hope even in the midst of this distressing situation. If you have never considered therapy for depression, I invite you to reach out to me to learn more about how depression treatment can help you through COVID-19.
