The 21st century Is characterized by some of the highest numbers of people suffering from mental health issues. According to CDC, 20% of all US citizens are experiencing or have experienced mental health issues during the past year (Guntuku et al., 2020). The mental health environment has been further made more volatile with the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis. Some of the most prominent threats to mental health today include loneliness, burnout, and the presence of stigma against mental issues. Loneliness and friendlessness are reported to have been experienced by 54% of respondents in the US (Guntuku et al., 2020).
Social isolation damages individuals on a neural level and makes other ailments more likely to occur. Burnout is also a frequent occurrence, resulting from difficult and dissatisfactory working environments, undermining an individual’s ability to cope and care (Guntuku et al., 2020). Finally, the presence of stigma against mental issues prevents many individuals in the US and abroad from seeking professional help.
Nevertheless, current social environments offer sources of strength and resilience over the previous generations, which could be used to counter these issues. The population has access to medical care and information resources on the internet on a much grander scale than ever before (Chevance et al., 2020). These could be used in preventative and medical treatment of conditions previously left ignored.
In addition, an online presence can counter the effects of isolation to a degree, as people can keep in touch through text, voice, and video chats (Chevance et al., 2020). Finally, although stigmas still exist, their effects are much lesser when compared to how the situation was viewed 20 or 50 years ago (Chevance et al., 2020). Treating mental illnesses has become more socially acceptable and is increasingly being sponsored by the US healthcare system to get treatment.
Throughout the last year and a half, several coping strategies have been observed. One of them includes the increased use of social media outlets as replacements for face-to-face interaction (Marazitti et al., 2020). Communication technology has become more sought-after, as individuals see their friends, family, and coworkers with the help of a computer screen, cameras, and other paraphernalia. Another strategy was more rebellious in nature and included visiting social events and clubs despite the emergency provisions prohibiting them (Marazitti et al., 2020). Many businesses implicitly supported this behavior, finding ways to circumvent the ban and allow people to enter (Marazitti et al., 2020). These coping strategies against loneliness and burnout have been prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
My personal plan for transcending this crisis involves two steps. First, I will have to take care of myself. I will supplement some of my social needs with social media and more frequent use of the Internet. In addition, I will focus on my immediate family members to compensate for the absence of face-to-face interaction. In addition, I will avoid burnout caused by working from home with frequent changes of location and scenery.
Becoming more connected to nature is one of the few ways of alleviating stress and anxiety associated with social isolation. Finally, I will work with my mental health specialist to prevent any potentially-developing issues mentioned in this paper. Once I am secure in my position, I plan to help out others by offering them my company, advice, and friendship. Together, humanity will pull through this crisis and usher in an era of peace and stability.
References
Chevance, A., Gourion, D., Hoertel, N., Llorca, P. M., Thomas, P., Bocher, R., & Gaillard, R. (2020). Ensuring mental health care during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in France: A narrative review. L’encephale, 46(3), 193-201.
Guntuku, S. C., Sherman, G., Stokes, D. C., Agarwal, A. K., Seltzer, E., Merchant, R. M., & Ungar, L. H. (2020). Tracking mental health and symptom mentioned on Twitter during Covid-19. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(9), 2798-2800.
Marazziti, D., Pozza, A., Di Giuseppe, M., & Conversano, C. (2020). The psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: A lesson for mental health prevention in the first severely hit European country. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(5), 531.