Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of people

The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession have negatively affected the mental health of many. It has created new barriers for people already suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders. Many adults are reporting negative impacts on their mental health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping or eating, an increase in alcohol consumption or substance use. As the pandemic wears on, ongoing and necessary public health measures expose many people to experiencing situations linked to poor mental health outcomes, such as isolation and job loss.   A broad body of research links social isolation and loneliness to poor mental health, and data shows that significantly higher shares of people who were sheltering in place reported negative mental health effects resulting from worry or stress related to coronavirus than among those not sheltering-in-place. In particular, isolation and loneliness during the pandemic may present specific mental health risks for households with adolescents and for older adults.   Job loss is associated with increased depression, anxiety, distress, and low self-esteem and may lead to higher rates of substance use disorder and suicide. Recent polling data shows that more than half of the people who lost income or employment reported negative mental health impacts from worry or stress over coronavirus; and lower-income people report higher rates of major negative mental health impacts compared to higher-income people.   Poor mental health due to burnout among front-line workers and increased anxiety or mental illness among those with poor physical health are also concerns. Those with mental illness and substance use disorders pre-pandemic, and those newly affected, will require mental health and substance use services.