COVID-19 pandemic halted the entire world in its tracks in March of 2020. In rising to the challenge of an epidemic, governments and health organizations pushed for lockdowns with everyone being confined to their living spaces. Social distancing and isolation helped save many lives by preventing the transfer of the novel coronavirus, but it also made hundreds of people around the globe more vulnerable to mental health issues.
The impact of this pandemic on physical health was cosmic and the impact on mental health has also been substantial. People with existing mental health disorders saw a further decline in their health and high-risk people developed these disorders through the span of the pandemic.
As the initial shock of the pandemic begins to wind down, it’s important to tackle these issues and there need to be healthcare providers available to help those who need it. Psychologists, moreover counselling psychologists, are key in helping people manage their emotions and feelings. Psychologists can also help patients process the change the world has gone through with the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has impacted their mental wellbeing.
The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Briefly put, COVID-19 causes a rift between people and their ability to cope with change, especially since social isolation and lockdown policies took away many typical coping mechanisms. The reaction of people to the COVID-19 pandemic alone has ranged from feelings of hopelessness and helplessness to panic and hysteria (think toilet paper hoarding).
In addition to this, many people haven’t been able to cope how they normally would, especially those belonging to vulnerable or marginalized groups, as they often had less access to social supports. These people may indeed be at risk of developing mental health challenges and may need the help of psychologists to help them process these feelings in the post COVID era. In the meanwhile, demand on psychologists has been high with waiting lists to access services often lengthy.
The COVID-19 pandemic also affected the economy of the world, with multiple markets crashing and putting many people out of work. Joblessness further exaggerates the feeling of hopelessness and is associated with negative outcomes such as suicidal ideation, depression, stress, and anxiety. Many people put their worth and identity in their careers and when that isn’t present anymore, (alongside being locked at home giving them ample time to overthink), they experience a sense of grief and loss. It alters how they view the world and themselves.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the powerlessness people have experienced in the face of this pandemic has actually worsened in some cases by mandatory behavioural change. Examples of this are lockdowns, border closures across states and the vaccine policy being introduced. Whilst acceptance of Australia’s vaccine policy has increased statistically at least, misinformation continues to pervade people’s newsfeeds spreading fear and conspiracy-based thinking .
Some age groups and demographics are more vulnerable to negative psychological impacts than others. These groups include high school and university students, young people who live alone, and the elderly. These are populations who may have the least amount of social support (or conversely a heavy reliance on social supports) and willingness or means to see a psychologist, important protective factors from the negative psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There has already been a surge in people attempting to access psychologists since the COVID-19 pandemic and this will no doubt continue. There needs to be an equal rise in the number of therapists to help these patients come to terms with the psychosocial changes that the world has gone through. The basic human need for emotional support and processing of feelings and thoughts is a necessary component of this. Supporting patients objectively process their decision to vaccinate and the feelings that arise around an effectively mandatory vaccination program is yet another area where psychologists can help.