An "Echo Pandemic" Of Mental Illness May Follow COVID — Here's How To Prepare

As the rapid spread of the coronavirus has people everywhere concerned for their and their loved ones' physical health, we're also becoming acutely aware of the effect this pandemic is having on mental health. The stress, uncertainty, and grief of this time raise the question: Is an "echo pandemic" of mental health crises on the horizon?

More and more research is emerging on the implications this pandemic has already had on mental health around the world. Essential workers, like health care professionals on the front lines, are experiencing anxiety, depression, and insomnia1. For those practicing social distancing and isolating in their homes, research shows many have experienced a loss of motivation, meaning, or self-worth. In general, roughly 40% of American adults are more concerned with their mental health than their physical health right now, with 68% saying they feel like everything is out of their control right now.

According to psychotherapist Ken Page, LCSW, this myriad of experiences everyone is having will likely result in a myriad of mental health issues, ranging from mild to extreme.

"We all have different fears. It's a grave unknown, and our nervous systems process that differently. Sometimes we don't feel it at all and then it hits us like a ton of bricks," he tells mbg. "So this is really a time to be very sensitive to how the nervous system processes this kind of chronic stress and trauma."

The traumatic nature of this pandemic can take its toll in more ways than one, with many of us likely feeling chronically exhausted. Page stresses the importance of sleep: If we aren't rested and recharged, our bodies and minds will not be able to keep up, with a large amount of research finding overlap between sleep disorders and mental illness3. Holistic psychiatrist Ellen Vora, M.D., even uses sleep prioritization as part of how to treat depression.

Thanks to our access to the virtual world, we don't have to isolate ourselves socially. We're all learning to "get nourishment through screens in different ways, finding that connection through Zoom or social media," Page says.

Another immediate way to release that's clinically proven to improve mental health4 is the Emotional Freedom Technique, aka tapping4 (sometimes called psychological acupressure).

Page recommends his own technique, which he calls "The Inner Mentor Process™," whereby you tune into the best version of yourself and allow inner guidance to come forward. And you can practice it in combination with tapping.

"You picture the you that you're meant to be—the you on the other side of all your inner glass ceilings. Then you imagine you've become that best version of you. From that place, you look at the you of today, and you offer guidance to yourself." Page says this technique can help you bypass your inner critical voice, find the place within you that's not absorbed in trauma, and empower yourself from within. "When you need guidance, you start from that amazing you that's already within," he says.