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Life in a Post-Pandemic World: What to Expect of Anxiety-Related Conditions and Their Treatment

Authored By: Taylor, S. & Asmundson, G. J. G.

In the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, people will be left reeling from the many stresses and losses caused by this global outbreak. While most people are expected to be resilient in the face of these challenges⎯with some even experiencing personal growth⎯a substantial minority are expected to struggle with their mental health during and following the pandemic.

The mental health struggles caused by COVID-19 differ from person to person. This variability can depend on a variety of factors, including the traumatic exposure experienced during the pandemic, mental health history, or the coping strategies used to adjust to the pandemic. For instance, research shows both the victims of a pandemic and the health-care workers who care for them are at increased risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder. In addition, researchers have recently determined that people with pre-existing mental health concerns, including higher levels of anxiety about their health or health-related symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder may experience increased difficulty coping during a pandemic and increased risk of developing a COVID Stress Syndrome. Furthermore, experts expect to see other subtler, yet potentially distressing, after-effects of COVID-19, including difficulty returning hygiene practices to pre-pandemic standards, reluctance to resume social practices like handshaking and hugging, and even unwillingness to leave home to attend work and social events.

The widespread mental health distress expected to be caused by or worsened by the COVID-19 outbreak should serve as a rallying call for mental health providers and the organizations that fund them all over the world. There is a growing demand for mental health resources to support people who are suffering because of this pandemic. While the current need for physical distancing has made existing online mental health services critical for delivering these services, further investigation is needed to determine whether more pandemic-specific interventions should be developed to help people cope better with the uncertainty and psychological distress that pandemics bring.

Lay summary written by Julia Mason

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