The trickle-down impact of COVID-19
Published February 4, 2021
Over the past eleven months we have become accustomed to daily reports informing us how many new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are a result of the coronavirus. What is less often reported, and perhaps more important, is the trickle-down mental effects of the pandemic.
A recent study published by The Kaiser Family Foundation found that 53 percent of adults in the United States say their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus. New Census data for North Carolina reveals that 1 in 3 report feelings of anxiety or depression, specifically feeling overwhelmed, isolated, lonely and fearful of getting sick themselves or having family or friends infected. People lament the disruption to their regular routines, as well as the resulting economic and personal financial problems. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates a 31 percent increase in depression, with stress-related disorders increasing by 26 percent.