Mental Wellness During the Pandemic
I don’t think anyone needs to tell you that we experienced increased anxiety and depression during the pandemic. But how bad was it, and is it?
In a study that collected mental health surveys of nearly 800,000 US adults from August 19, 2020, to February 2021, there was an increase in anxiety and depression consistent with the increase in the number of reported COVID-19 cases. 42% of the participants reported symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder in December 2020 during which there was an increase from 36% from August. Similarly, 22% of the study participants reported needing mental health medications or receiving counseling in August that increased to 25% by the end of November. Nearly all age groups experienced significant increases in anxiety and depression, but younger adults experienced the largest rate of increases. At the height of the pandemic in February 2021, 57% of the surveyed participants aged 18 to 29 reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Another online survey from the University of Michigan has shed some light on the specifics that participants felt in the separate categories of depression and anxiety.
The percentage of participants reporting depressive symptoms that occurred on more than a half-day or nearly every day were as follows:
feeling tired or having little energy: 38%
having trouble falling asleep or sleeping too much: 36%
having a poor appetite or overeating: 26%
feeling down, depressed, or hopeless: 25%
having trouble concentrating: 24%
having little interest or pleasure in activities: 23%
having negative self-esteem: 21%
moving slowly or being fidgety: 8%.
Participants also reported symptoms consistent with anxiety, as follows:
43% said that they felt nervous, anxious, or on edge
37% felt that they worried too much
36% were unable to stop worrying
35% had trouble relaxing
32% reported feeling afraid
31% said that they were easily annoyed or more irritable than usual
17% felt restless.
With regard to coping strategies, 77% of participants actively engaged in positive strategies such as communicating with and seeking comfort from another person, 89% reported taking action to make situations better. and 48% of the participants prayed or meditated in order to feel better. On the other hand, more than half of the participants reported engaging in not-so-positive strategies such as becoming critical or being in denial that anything was wrong. Significant numbers of participants also reported an increase in the consumption of alcohol and marijuana.
What are some of the positive mental health and self-care actions we can engage in during the pandemic? Here are some strategies that have been passed down from my Ni family ancestors.
Breathe
When I was a third-grader, my father would take me to the Tai Ji Qian/martial arts class that he taught in the evenings. Students would practice different forms and at different levels. My job was to play with the carp in a nearby pond. That quickly got boring, so I began to develop an interest in learning martial arts forms. My first lesson was simply standing quietly and breathing. It was difficult at first, but the cool evening air and end-of-the-day fatigue helped calm me. I was able to slow down my breath and take deeper inhalations and exhalations. My mind became quiet and relaxed and I remember I would always have the best night's sleep afterward. My father told me that in any movement exercise, including martial arts, the most important thing was to learn is how to breathe properly. Your breath carries the movement and the movements are an expression of your breath. I have benefited from this teaching and it has helped me relax and focus in challenging times.
Clear Mind
As someone who grew up in an Asian household, there are no shoes allowed in the home; we either go barefoot or wear thin slippers instead. The concept is to keep the house free from outside dirt and germs. My home is also tidy and contains minimal clutter which helps me focus my mind and gives me plenty of clear space to zoom around. Our mind is no different from our home: our mind is sacred, it is our temple but in modern times we tend to jam too much information into it. I would suggest limiting the input of information we consume, particularly information that is negative. Avoid negative news and the excessive consumption of social media. A mind without clutter is a mind that would be calm, composed, and able to handle challenges better.
Connected Relationships
We are social animals that need connections to other fellow human beings. Research studies demonstrate that adults who are socially connected are healthier and live longer than their more isolated peers. Obviously, it has been challenging to connect with others during the pandemic, but it has not been impossible; there have been ways we could spend safe, in-person, quality time.
We have also a plethora of digital tools that we can use to connect to others as well. The most important thing is to schedule meetups, so they become a recurring event. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we view everyone as a field of energy; when we remain close to one another, we can benefit from an exchange of energy. This energy exchange, especially in close relationships, provides us with comfort and security that allows us to relax and feel secure.
Increase Happy Activities
There are many daily activities, regardless of how small, that can provide us with a dose of pleasure and peace. It could be walking the dog, enjoying our garden, taking a class, watching a movie, and even washing dishes. Make certain to indulge in a few happy activities every day. Our bodies are in motion even when we are at rest. When we are resting, our hearts, mind, and bodily systems are engaged and working quietly in the background. Our bodies and mind are designed to keep moving and not stay stagnant. Many of our daily activities can induce the secretions of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin secretions; “happy” neurotransmitters that elevate our mood can help us avoid or eliminate depression and anxiety.
Rest and Sleep
In the long term, getting an adequate amount of undisturbed sleep every night is crucial for one’s physical health and emotional wellbeing. There is a great deal of research that demonstrates the harm caused by inadequate sleep ranging from brain fog, forgetfulness, damage to the heart, an increased risk of cancer, decreased libido, weight gain, an increased risk of diabetes, an increase in the rate of accidents, poor skin health, anxiety, depression … and many others.
Lastly, don’t wait until you have symptoms of anxiety or depression because it takes a lot more effort to relieve these symptoms than to prevent them in the first place. Sometimes small tweaks or hacks are all we need to do so have a look at your lifestyle and ask yourself if there are some things you can change right now in order to feel happier and or enjoy a more fulfilling daily existence.
The pandemic has been difficult but it has also provided us with opportunities to change, adapt, and focus our lives to make them more purposeful and fulfilling.
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Citations
Stephenson J. CDC Study Finds Worsening Anxiety and Depression, Especially in Young Adults, During COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Health Forum. 2021;2(4):e210724. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.0724
Lee, S.J., & *Ward, K.P. (2020, March). Research brief: Mental health, relationships, and coping during the coronavirus pandemic. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/2O84btj