Coronavirus Has Been Devastating to Americans’ Mental Health — Here’s What to Do
With the death toll increasing each day and hundreds of thousands of people in the hospital, the physical health effects of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, are clear. But what may not be as obvious is how much the virus is harming people’s mental health.
So far, COVID-19 has significantly increased the mental health struggles of Americans. Nearly half of people who are sheltering in place said that the pandemic has increased their stress or worry, according to a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The majority of texters to the Crisis Text Line — 84 percent — say they are experiencing stress related to COVID-19, as of April 20. And an alarming projection from the national public health group Well Being Trust estimates that 75,000 Americans could die from drug or alcohol misuse and suicide related to COVID-19.
