While there’s a lot of sadness as we reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic and all that we’ve lost, a survey conducted by Parade in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic uncovered some good news, too. In polling 2,000 people, results uncovered that we’re finally understanding just how important it is to prioritize our mental health—and that’s something to celebrate. Here’s everything you need to know about how our view on mental health, mental health practices, feelings of resilience, and so much more has changed over the course of the pandemic.
COVID has helped de-stigmatize mental health
In 2018, 68% of people believed mental health was just as important as physical health. Now, that number is up to 82%. “We know that typically stigma is reduced when people get to know others with mental health conditions,” Dawn Potter, PsyD at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Parade. “The more people are open about mental health, the more we would expect stigma to be reduced.” The pandemic has given people the opportunity to open up about mental health via various social media platforms, and those people include celebrities—and that’s helping to reduce the stigma, too. The survey results found that 39% of people now feel empowered to share their own mental health struggles after a celebrity or public figure spoke out about it. “I would expect that, especially for young people, exposure to information on social media about mental health, including personal stories through blogs and videos likely plays a big role,” Potter says. “When celebrities speak out about mental health this can also help. Finally, it may also be that the knowledge of the pandemic being a shared stressor with potential mental health implications for anyone has played a role in decreasing stigma, particularly when mental health concerns are linked with pandemic-related stressors.” In addition to feeling less stigma around mental health, people are also getting better at taking action: 32% of survey respondents said they learned positive coping behaviors for handling stress and anxiety.
The pandemic has helped foster feelings of connection and kindness
Despite the fact that the pandemic forced us to stay physically far away from each other, we’re feeling closer than ever: Nearly two-thirds of people say the pandemic has helped them feel more connected to family and friends, and 30% of people say the pandemic increased their desire to give back. “People may be experiencing a sense of being ‘in it together,’” Potter explains. “There has been a lot of messaging, for example, about the importance of masking and getting vaccinated not just to protect oneself but to protect others. People may also feel more appreciative of the time they can spend together, particularly if they were socially distanced from friends and family for a significant time and then able to come back together.”
Many of us are feeling more resilient than ever
As difficult as the pandemic has been, it hasn’t broken us. In fact, we’re experiencing a collective mental strength: 75% of respondents say that because of the pandemic, they feel better equipped to handle challenges, and 80% of people feel like they could live through another pandemic. “The sense of uncertainty and the risk of traumatization [that came with the pandemic] could certainly have negative impacts,” Potter says. “However, I suspect they produce a sense of pride for those who feel they have survived something and/or have developed new coping skills in the face of stress.” The survey data also showed that resilient people were more likely to consider themselves to have a strong support system, people to confide in, and that they make adequate sleep and healthy eating a priority. “So the increased resilience may be related to the finding that people feel more connected to others,” Potter adds. While this is all good news, resilient people are actually not very likely to seek mental health support: Only 8% of resilient individuals said they saw a therapist.
Millennials were hit hard by the pandemic from a mental health perspective …
Despite having a strong support system, 75% of millennials agreed that they had been feeling more stressed, anxious, and depressed during the pandemic compared to lower numbers for Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Z. Millennials also reported the highest rate of work burnout during the pandemic. So, why is this? “My guess is that this is related to the stage of life that most millennials are in,” explains Potter. “The millennial generation will include working parents of young children who may have been suddenly balancing working from home and childcare at the same time.”
… And so was Gen Z
While they fared slightly better than millennials, Gen Z and millennials are in agreement that their generations are experiencing greater mental health challenges during the pandemic than other generations. “Gen Z were likely to be experiencing things like disruptions to school (high school and college), disruptions to interaction with peer groups, as well as layoffs due to business closures during lockdowns,” Potter says.
People living with health conditions saw mixed results
While survey results found that some mental health-related issues improved across the board, people with health conditions saw mixed results. 75% of cancer patients said they have close friends and family to confide in, but cardiovascular disease patients saw a mental health dip. Half of diabetes patients developed unhealthy habits during the pandemic, but people with respiratory conditions have gotten much better at prioritizing their mental health. And people with skin conditions report being worse off mentally and emotionally than they were pre-pandemic
Along with an immunity, the COVID-19 vaccine provided many people with a much-needed mental health boost
Yes, the COVID-19 vaccine provided an immunity boost for many—but it also provided a mental health boost: 52% of people said they saw a mental health boost after receiving the vaccine. “I believe the vaccine provided a sense of security and relief,” explains Potter. “Not only does it reduce the chance of infection and severe illness, but it helps protect others. Fear of infecting others can be a huge stressor for some. It also allowed a lot of people to feel safer engaging in more social activity which we know benefits mental health.”
We’re reevaluating our relationship with social media
More Americans are likely to believe that giving up social media will improve their mental and emotional health: 31% of people believed this in 2021, compared to just 17% in 2018. “I think awareness is important and could increase motivation to moderate use, however, social media plays a huge role in a lot of people’s social lives and patterns of social media use can be hard to break,” Potter admits. Next up: The Benefits of Quitting Social Media
