Rethinking Priorities: Anxiety, Grief, and Hope in a Post Pandemic World
Since the emergence of COVID-19 in March 2020, therapists have noted a dramatic rise in the prevalence of clinical mental health symptoms among the clients that we serve. Now three years later, people everywhere can often still feel the lingering psychological effects of the pandemic. For instance, while anxiety, grief, and depression have always played a role in the human condition, the steep increase in the prevalence of these issues is in part attributable to the aftershock of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And it makes sense as we think back two years, when constraints on our ability to work, receive in-person support from loved ones, and participate in meaningful activities, were forced to shut down overnight. To complicate things, the vast inequalities regarding access to basic resources like healthcare, job security, childcare, and more only made matters worse. For many people, financial worries, loneliness, and fear of falling ill have been linked to the development of anxiety and depression. Ultimately, the lockdown phase of the pandemic exacerbated previously existing systemic issues and escalated mental health crises, leading to the development of post covid anxiety, depression, and a host of other mental health concerns. As such, therapists have been tirelessly working to help clients process, heal, and create deeper meaning in their lives.
But make no mistake - there are reverberations of hope as clients work to reclaim their lives with a newfound intentionality. Week after week, I am inspired by the ways in which folks are mindfully reassessing priorities to cultivate more meaning and agency in their lives. Many of my own clients are working to reclaim work-life balance, create deeper friendships and romantic relationships, and implement better boundary-setting. There seems to be less tolerance for superficial chit-chat and a growing need for true connection. Overall, people are looking to shift gears from being in the passenger seat to move into the driver’s seat. And I’m here for all of it.
If this article has piqued your interest because you wonder if you have been suffering from post-pandemic psychological distress, please read on. Here are just some of the ways that post-pandemic anxiety, depression, and grief can manifest as symptoms.
difficulty concentrating
distrust for other people
compulsively washing your hands
fear of leaving your house
increased substance use
irritability or mood changes
fear around crowds
monitoring for signs of illness
obsessive cleaning
withdrawing from those you love
increased discomfort and avoidance of social situations
If you do recognize yourself in any of the above symptoms and have not sought out help, perhaps it’s time to reach out to a therapist or another helping professional. The pandemic was a terrifying experience for so many of us, but it also has the potential to be a learning opportunity, if we are willing to pay attention, connect, and grow.
