The past couple of years have been stressful for everyone. Many people have experienced social isolation, as well as the loss of loved ones and jobs, so it’s no wonder that so many are also dealing with mental health issues. But now researchers are linking Covid infection directly to psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. The long-term effects of having Covid are still being determined, but it seems that Covid patients are not only more likely to have long-term heart problems, but are also more likely to face mental health issues.
The Study
A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), has revealed that Covid infection seems to be linked to long-term mental health issues. The study included 153,000 patients who tested positive for Covid in the Veterans Affairs health system between March 2020 and January 2021, none of whom had had mental health diagnoses or treatment within the 2 years before being infected with Covid.
The study found that after having Covid :
39% of the patients were more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared with people who had not had Covid
35% were more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety in the months following their infection
38% were more likely to be diagnosed with stress and adjustment disorders
41% were more likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders
“The risk of incident mental health disorders was consistently higher in the Covid-19 group in comparisons of people with Covid-19 not admitted to the hospital versus those not admitted to hospital for seasonal influenza, admitted to hospital with Covid-19 versus admitted to hospital with seasonal influenza, and admitted to hospital with Covid-19 versus admitted to hospital for any other cause,” the authors wrote.
Growing Needs
More people need mental health therapy because of Covid-19.
All of this is disturbing news, especially since the World Health Organization has reported that the pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide, and that 72% of mental health services for adolescents were halted between June and August 2020.
“I think greater awareness that this is happening is an important first step,” Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the study’s senior investigator and Chief of Research and Development at the VA St. Louis healthcare system, told news site Salon by email. “I also think that health systems should anticipate this and build capacity to provide equitable care to people with mental health disorders. It is important to identify people early, and treat them to mitigate the development of much larger problems down the road (e.g. suicide epidemic, or another opioid epidemic).”
“The wave of people with mental health disorders is going to be hitting the clinics in the next year or two or three, as a result of Covid and as a result of the pandemic,” Al-Aly said.
What’s your idea of comfort food? Freshly baked homemade cookies? Your mom’s gooey mac and cheese? Or maybe you prefer something a little bit, um, faster? As in, fast food? Do you crave things like hamburgers, fries, and chicken nuggets from a famous franchise when you need a little belly-based comfort? Well, if that’s the case, you might just want to start turning elsewhere for your comfort. In addition to the things we already know that fast food can do to our bodies, it might also have some surprising – and disturbing – effects on our brain and mood. Studies now seem to show that there is a link between anxiety and depression and the fast food that so many of us love.
Why It’s Hard to Quit the Fast Stuff
You might be thinking, “Hey, it just tastes good,” and that’s that. But it might not actually be that simple. There might be more scientific reasons why you’re craving fast food, and why you continue to eat it, even though it’s no secret that it’s bad for you.
First of all, yes, it does taste good. Otherwise why would an estimated 36.6% of the U.S. population devour drive-through deals on a daily basis? But it tastes good to many of us because food scientists have spent decades adjusting the flavors of ultra-processed foods so that we keep coming back for more. But studies also suggest that:
The trans fats in many fried foods might hinder your brain’s ability to discern how much you’ve eaten and how hungry you are.
Fast food can even trigger the pleasure centers of the brain to release dopamine, the same chemical that fuels addictions, so you might end up needing more and more fast food to feed your cravings.
Brain scans also reveal how sugar can be addictive: the more you eat, the more you’re likely to keep craving it. And what does sugar have to do with fast food? It’s not just that the soda that you drink to wash down your meal is loaded with sugar, it’s also that some of the dishes themselves have much more sugar than you might think. For example, one salad on the menu at a popular fast food chain packs a whopping 40 grams of sugar – and keep in mind that most public health organizations recommend that you consume no more than 24 grams of sugar per day.
In 2019, a landmark study found that those on an ultra-processed diet consumed 508 more calories on average compared to those who ate whole and plant-based foods, leading experts to speculate whether these foods are somehow addictive. Researchers don’t know exactly why, but processed foods seemed to encourage more snacking. “There may be something about the textural or sensory properties of the food that made the [participants in the study] eat more quickly,” said Kevin Hall, of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “If you’re eating very quickly, perhaps you’re not giving your gastrointestinal tract enough time to signal to your brain that you’re full. When this happens, you might easily overeat.”
All of that is definitely food for thought. You might think that heading to the drive-through for lunch or dinner is just a quick way to get some comfort food to fill you up, but turns out you’re not doing either: comforting yourself OR filling yourself up. And so you’ll just end up going back for more, and risk not only overeating and expanding your waistline, but also changing your mood for the worse.
Your Brain on Fast Food
So fast food messes with your brain in that it triggers cravings, but what does fast food, or any ultra-processed type of food, have to do with your mood and mental health? Let’s take a look at a few studies that suggest a disturbing link between them:
Research published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience found that adults under 30 who ate fast food three times a week scored higher on levels of mental distress. The researchers think this is because fast food is typically high in saturated fats, trans fats, and omega-6 fatty acids. While some of these fats are beneficial and, in fact, necessary for brain function in smaller doses, an excess can trigger an inflammatory response. Past research has linked this inflammation to anxiety and depression.
Remember those crazy sweet salads? A study of around 8,000 adult participants found that men who regularly consumed around 67 grams per sugar per day were 23% more likely to be diagnosed with depression, which could, again, be caused in part by an inflammatory response.
A 2019 study of teenagers found that higher urine levels of sodium, and low potassium levels, both of which you’d expect from a diet of highly processed fast food, predicted more signs of depression a year and a half after the study, even after adjusting for variables such as blood pressure, weight, age and sex.
A meta-analysis of research from the United States, Spain, France, Australia, Greece and Iran published in the journal Nature also found a “robust association” between diet and depression. Their results showed people who avoided a highly processed diet, and instead followed a Mediterranean diet of things like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and little red meat or processed foods, had reduced risk of depression.
A Spanish study published in the Public Health Nutrition journal found that consumers of fast food, compared to those who eat little or none, are 51% more likely to develop depression. Not only that, but they found that “the more fast food you consume, the greater the risk of depression,” according to Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, lead author of the study.
Studies have shown that excessive fast food consumption is also linked to anxiety symptoms, probably because the refined carbohydrates in many fast food items can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate. Extremely low blood sugar can cause panic attacks, insomnia, and other anxiety symptoms. Not only that, but the lack of omega-3 fatty acids in fried food can cause your brain to mimic anxiety symptoms.
More worrying food for thought. And while some researchers say they’re not really sure if eating fast food causes depression, or if those who are predisposed to depression are more likely to consume fast food (after all, we do call it comfort food, right?), it seems pretty clear that eating fast food can be a big problem for your body and mind.
Is There an Antidote?
The Mediterranean diet is a great diet to follow because it is full of omega-3 fatty acids and other great vitamins.
We don’t want to sound like your mom, but you know what we’re going to say. The solution is less junk food, and more healthy foods like fresh fruits and veggies. And that’s not just the mom in us talking: it’s science.
While scientists are still studying the link between diet and depression, studies do suggest that certain nutrients and foods can play a preventative role. B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and folates, as well as the foods that make up healthy diets like the Mediterranean diet, like fish and olive oil, have been linked to a lower risk of developing depression.
And, the same study that found that adults under 30 suffered from mental distress after eating too much fast food had some interesting findings for older adults. It found that eating more fruits and veggies, as well as eating fewer carbohydrates of other types, actually reduced anxiety and depression. That’s because fruits and veggies are bursting with antioxidants, which help protect the brain.
Our days are filled with decisions we need to make, not least being what we should put into our bodies to fuel them. And that decision might have a little more weight than we sometimes give it: those quick trips to the drive-through could start adding up and wreaking havoc on your body and mind. We’re not saying that you should never indulge in your favorite comfort foods, but you just might want to re-evaluate how comforting your choice of indulgence actually is.
With winter coming, you might be feeling some mixed emotions. Maybe you’re sad to say goodbye to the sun and fun of summer, and the beautiful weather of fall, but maybe you’re also sustained by thoughts of holiday togetherness, or some cozy hibernation time. On the other hand, you might see nothing good in the long winter months, and might be counting the days til spring; you might even begin feeling blue as the days grow shorter. You should know, though, that “winter blues” are one thing, but they could become problematic for your mental health if you’re like a small but significant portion of the population who suffer from a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. So how do you know if you’re suffering from this condition, and how can you get some relief as you wait for the sunny days of summer to return?
What Is SAD?
If you’re starting to despair now that winter is just about here, you could be among the possibly 11 million people (or 3% of the population, depending on whose numbers you look at) that suffer from seasonal affective disorder. And if you have milder symptoms, then you could be among the 25 million who suffer from the winter blues. While the winter blues aren’t as serious as SAD, full-blown SAD is a type of mood disorder, and is considered a serious form of depression – the main difference between other forms of depression and SAD is that SAD happens at the same time every year.
While there is a rarer form of summertime SAD, it most often rears its ugly head in the winter. Why? Scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes it, but some experts believe it’s related to lack of light in the winter (which is why it’s more common the further north you go, and less common in sunnier places like Florida). Less sunlight in the fall and winter months could mean your brain is making less serotonin, a chemical linked to brain pathways that regulate mood. Others think that decreased sunlight exposure affects the natural biological clock that regulates hormones, sleep, and moods. It is also three times more likely to affect women than men, and might have a genetic component, as well.
Are You Feeling Sad, or Are You Suffering from SAD?
Whatever the cause, seasonal affective disorder can really disrupt your life for a big chunk of the year. What’s worse, it can often be overlooked or misdiagnosed, especially since the symptoms can mimic those of other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, mononucleosis, thyroid disorders, or low blood sugar. To help determine whether you might be suffering from SAD, consider the past few years – have you:
Had depression that has started at around the same time?
Not felt your symptoms during other seasons?
Had more of this particular season with depression than without over your lifetime?
Weight gain is a symptom of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
So what specific symptoms should you be looking out for? They are generally similar to other kinds of depression, and include:
Feelings of despair or hopelessness
Increased desire to be alone
Weight gain
Appetite changes, especially increased cravings for carbohydrates
If you are experiencing the symptoms above, speak to your doctor: they might diagnose you with SAD if you experience at least five of nine clinical symptoms for at least two weeks. Even if you don’t meet that criteria, you could still have a milder form of SAD, sometimes called the “winter blues,” or the more technical term, subsyndromal SAD.
Can You Find Relief?
So what can you do if you’re suffering from seasonal affective disorder? Are there ways to make the winter months more bearable? While there’s no “cure” for any kind of depression, there are things you can try to get some relief. For example:
Lifestyle changes – There’s no magical way to stave off SAD by eating certain foods or following a certain regimen; however, you might be able to lift your mood a little by eating right, including plenty of fruits and veggies, as well as lean protein, getting enough exercise, finding social support, and, very importantly, practicing good sleep hygiene. Get to bed at the same (reasonable) time each night, and avoid blue light before bed. And, even if you want to sleep in all day, set an alarm for an early hour so you can experience some early-morning sunshine, which is the best light to help your body combat SAD.
Light therapy – SAD might be partially caused by getting too little natural morning light and too much artificial light in the evening. To combat this, some experts recommend that you try using a light box that can help mimic morning sunlight, which gives you a spike in cortisol and a boost of energy. There is some evidence that sitting in front of a 10,000-lux (the measure of light intensity) light box for 30-45 minutes every day around sunrise during fall and winter decreases S.A.D. symptoms. But you have to be diligent about using it everyday around sunrise, and you have to be aware that not all light boxes are created equal. It’s best to do light therapy under supervision of a doctor, so speak to yours about finding a research-grade one that might be right for you.
Time outside – Light boxes can certainly be helpful, but there’s no substitute for natural light – even a rainy morning provides around 10,000 lux, and snow on the ground is even brighter, at 50,000 lux. But the best light for SAD seems to be the light outside within 30 minutes of sunrise – so set your alarm, and get out for an early morning stroll!
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Something that might be even more helpful than light therapy is speaking with a psychotherapist and engaging in some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In some studies, CBT was found to prevent recurrences of SAD, probably because it provides long-term coping skills, not just physical relief.
The bottom line is: you don’t have to suffer all winter with the debilitating symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. The first step to getting some relief is recognizing your condition, and naming what is going on. Once you do that, you can speak to a professional and start making some changes that could make a real difference to your life, and make the long winter much more bearable.
Seems like there’s an app for everything these days. You can keep track of your sleep, track your fitness, find a date, make sure you’re drinking enough water or standing up enough, monitor your heart health…and the list goes on and on. But did you know that there are actually a ton of apps – around 10,000 by some counts! – meant to help improve your mental health? It’s true, and some of them might just be worth checking out; after all, we’ve all experienced first-hand over the last few years how technology can keep us connected and deliver the services we need, so why not try out an app that can help keep you balanced in a world gone a bit crazy? But are mental health or therapy apps really helpful, how should you use them, and which are some of the best out of that sea of choices?
Why Mental Health/Therapy Apps?
It can seem so much easier to stay on top of your physical health than your mental health (although that can certainly be a challenge, too!), because there are just certain things you know you have to do to maintain your best health. One of those things is checking in with professionals to make sure everything is on track, and the same can be true about your mental health. But for some, regular face-to-face therapy sessions can be a challenge, and there are a lot of people out there who simply aren’t getting any type of help or relief, or others who might need supplemental help.
That’s where mental health apps can come in: they can allow you access to at least some form of help, or you can also use them as a way to work more on what you’re working on in therapy, the way you might use a fitness app to supplement your training sessions with a personal trainer.
According to Sal Raichbach, PsyD, LCSW, mental health apps might be one way to reach people who would otherwise not receive help by removing the barriers to treatment. “Sadly, only a small percentage of people actively seek professional help for their mental health problems,” he says. “This could be for any number of reasons: they may not be physically able to leave their homes due to severe anxiety or lack of mobility, or they may not have the financial means.”
For others, the anonymity is a big draw: again according to Raichbach, “The apps also allow for privacy and confidentiality and can be a safe space for individuals who may be too ashamed to admit their mental health issues in person or who may feel that they will be negatively labeled or stigmatized by others. The privacy of using an app gives some individuals the feeling of separation they need while still being able to find answers to their questions within the comfort of their own homes.”
The Caveats
Some mental health apps will offer 24/7 support, which is important for many people.
There does seem to be value in at least the idea of using technology to bring mental health support and therapy to anyone who needs it, but mental health professionals are often quick to point out that it is not only important which app you choose, but also how you use these apps.
It is first important to note that the claims of these apps have not been proven in any peer-reviewed studies (although the best ones are definitely research-based), so you do have to take them with a grain of salt in one way. Next, you should be aware that mental health professionals seem to agree that the app you choose should at least “have mental health practitioners onboard, ready to answer questions, plus a 24/7 support hotline for more severe cases,” according to Dr. Raichbach; others think it’s important to use them as a supplement to more traditional therapy.
For example, Tanisha Ranger, PsyD, a psychologist who has used a variety of mental health apps with her patients says, “I see mental health apps being very useful for people who cannot get to sessions as often as they would like, but I do not view them as a substitute for therapy. If a person is actually in need of therapy, these can be a great supplement, but they cannot take the place of engaging with someone who can offer individualized interpretations and insights that an app cannot provide.”
What Are Some of the Best Apps Out There?
With all of that being said, if you’re starting to explore ways to stay on top of your own mental health on a daily basis, and you lack time or resources to have regular traditional therapy sessions, or you want some extra support, checking out one of these apps might not be a bad idea. The important thing is that you go into using these apps with your eyes open and consider the limitations of technology in keeping you psychologically healthy.
So which apps might you want to start with? The following are some of the most popular, so see if there’s one that seems like it might address your specific needs! And please note that we have not included apps purely focused on meditation, or apps that are narrowly focused on one issue, like addiction, eating disorders, OCD, etc – but there are some good apps out there that can help in those specific areas, too.
MoodKit
Some apps, like MoodKit will have daily activities, which will improve your mood over time.
Developed by two clinical psychologists, MoodKit is a low-priced app that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies to help you learn how to change how you think, and develop self-awareness and healthy attitudes. It includes daily activities to help you boost your mood, a thought checker to help you identify and modify negative thoughts, a mood tracker to monitor your progress over time, and an online journal to record your thoughts.
This app was voted one of the best overall mental health apps of 2020 (and that was a tough year!). It provides users with comprehensive and customizable tools, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy support, mood and gratitude journals, breathing exercises, reminders and notifications for all sorts of things like medication, and activity tracking. It seems to have a little bit of everything to keep you grounded!
It’s not always easy to find high-quality free mental health or therapy apps, but What’s Up is one of them. It uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with depression, anxiety, stress, and more. It includes a positive and negative habit tracker, a “Get Grounded” page, which contains over 100 different questions to nail down how you’re feeling at that moment, and a “Thinking Patterns” page, which teaches you how to stop negative internal monologues.
Looking for something more than solitary reflection? Talkspace is an alternative or a supplement to traditional therapy, offering you the ability to text message a licensed therapist whenever you need to, and receive responses daily. You can also opt to connect with your therapist via voice or video, depending on what package you choose. This app is great for people who don’t feel comfortable meeting a therapist face-to-face, or for those who need extra support. As of this writing, plans start at $65 a week, much cheaper than traditional therapy sessions.
This simple therapy app was developed by researchers from Monash University, and it allows you to check-in when you’re feeling anxious or depressed. You’re then given a selection of research-backed “missions” to choose from to help boost your mood and teach you better coping skills.
Looking for an app specifically for a teen or young adult struggling with anxiety? MindShift is one of the best ones out there: it aims not to get young people to avoid anxious feelings, but rather to “shift” their mindset, as the name implies. It covers various types of anxiety such as social anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, and generalized anxiety disorder, and offers lists of coping strategies for dealing with these issues.
Apps like SAM build your own 24-hour anxiety tool kit that allows you to track anxious thoughts and behavior over time.
This app is perfect for getting the happy fix that you need, offering a psychologist-approved mood-boosting program that is tailored to you after you take a quick test to determine what you’re most interested in. You’ll get games, gratitude prompts, activity suggestions, and more that are geared toward training your brain like you would any other muscle, and improving your mood and your life.
Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM)
Not into meditation, but still want some self-help, and some other kinds of strategies for dealing with anxiety? This app might be the way to go: you’ll be prompted to build your own 24-hour anxiety tool kit that allows you to track anxious thoughts and behavior over time, and learn 25 different self-help techniques. You can also use SAM’s “Social Cloud” feature to confidentially connect with other users in an online community for additional support.
Sure, therapy can be pricey, but now, more than ever, no one can afford to ignore their mental health – it’s just as important to look after as your physical health! So if you are finding it difficult to attend traditional in-person therapy sessions, or if you need extra support, a mental health or therapy app could give you the boost you need, often for little or no cost – just a little of your time, effort, and attention. Just remember that these apps might not be enough, and you might need further support, so don’t be afraid to ask for it!
The pandemic forced many schools to close down in 2020, meaning many children spent the rest of the 2019-2020 school year and most, if not all, of the 2020-2021 school year learning online. It was not an easy transition for many children or for their parents, with reports from KFF Vaccine Monitor reporting that around four in ten parents of school-aged children ages 5-17 say at least one of their children fell behind academically. And academic issues have not been the only side effects of online schooling: mental health issues have also become much more common among children in the last year.
As this school year begins, though, most schools are transitioning back to in-person learning, which could end up being a mixed bag. Being physically at school can help with children’s development, but many will also experience some anxiety and panic as they return, so it is important to know how to help get your child back into the swing of things.
One of the symptoms of mental health issues within children is difficulty concentrating or frequent headaches.
Studies Show…
The Kaiser Family Foundation researchers recently asked more than 1,200 parents of children younger than age 18 about their children’s’ mental health; more than a third said their child had fallen behind in their social and behavioral development during the pandemic. Children whose school was at least partially online last year were more likely to have had their well being negatively impacted; not only that, but around 42% of the parents surveyed said their children showed at least one new mental health symptom during the pandemic.
Some of the symptoms included:
Difficulty concentrating on schoolwork (27%)
Problems with nervousness, or being easily scared or worried (19%)
Your child might not know how to express how they are feeling, so it is important to be able to recognize any signs of mental distress in your child. Each child or teen will exhibit different signs, but there are some common symptoms and changes in their behavior or development to look out for, including:
Irritability
Waking up more during the night
Separation anxiety
Bedwetting
Stepping back from personal relationships
Loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed
Difficulty falling asleep
Change in appetite
Memory problems
Thoughts about death or suicide
What You Can Do To Help Prepare Your Child
While the transition back to in-person learning is undoubtedly good for children and their development, it might also be challenging for some, so it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. “Keep checking in with your kids,” Dr. Kyle Monk, a pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai, says. “Ask them how they’re doing and let them know how you’re feeling as well.”
If your child is anxious or scared about returning to school, have an open conversation with them, and take the time to listen to and validate their feelings. Here’s how you can help get them back into the swing of things:
Have an open conversation about the new year and what they can expect as they return to school.
Ween them off of their summer schedule by starting an earlier, consistent bedtime, and prepare them for getting up early. You might want to get them an alarm clock so they know exactly when they need to get up.
Make sure your child has a daily, predictable routine, with regular times for healthy meals, naps, and night sleep at home. Having a rested body and knowing what to expect at home helps children cope.
Sit down with your kids and have them put forward a couple of academic goals for the semester.
Establish a quiet zone or zones at home where kids can do homework, without the distractions of TV, videos, music, etc.
Reassure children about safety measures in place to help keep them safe and healthy, and prepare them to stay safe by talking about socially distancing, washing their hands, and wearing a mask all day.
Be on the lookout for any emotional or physical changes after the start of the school year, so you can help them cope, or get professional help if needed.
All ACA-approved health insurance plans cover mental health needs, including therapy, inpatient services, and any medications needed. Get free quotes on plans with great coverage and affordable prices by entering your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local licensed agent, call 888-350-1890.
October 10th is World Mental Health Day, a time, according to the World Health Organization, “to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.” And if it seems to you like we’ve all been thinking and talking nonstop about mental health since the start of the pandemic shifted all of our paradigms, you’re right – in a way. 2020 brought mental health issues into sharp relief as many of us struggled with loneliness, anxiety, and even depression, but we still aren’t really where we should be when it comes to supporting people in their struggles. To be honest, while things have gotten a whole lot better in the field of mental health over the past decade or so, we still have a long way to go when it comes to truly making our mental health as much a priority (and as little a taboo) as our physical health.
The Grim Statistics
When it comes to the state of mental health, and mental health care, in the United States, there’s good news and bad news, and we’re going to hit you with the bad news first. The state of mental health in America in 2021 is, well, not great: because some of the data we have for this year relies on what happened last year (the notorious 2020), we’re looking at a pretty grim picture, although mental health in the U.S. seems to have been deteriorating well before the pandemic hit.
For example, just take a look at these stats:
In 2017-2018, 19% of adults experienced a mental illness, an increase of 1.5 million people from the year before.
The percentage of adults in the U.S. who are experiencing serious thoughts of suicide increased 0.15% from 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 – an additional 460,000 people from the year before.
There is still an unmet need for mental health treatment among youth and adults: 60% of youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment in 2017-2018, and 23.6% of adults with a mental illness reported an unmet need for treatment in 2017-2018.
But, of course, the pandemic has made things even rougher:
9.7% of youth in the U.S. have severe major depression, compared to 9.2% last year.
The number of people looking for help with anxiety and depression skyrocketed in 2020: 315,220 people took a screening for anxiety, a 93% increase over the 2019 total number of anxiety screens. 534,784 people took the depression screen, a 62% increase over the 2019 total number of depression screens.
From April to September 2020, among people who screened with moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety or depression, 70% reported that one of the top three things contributing to their mental health concerns was loneliness or isolation.
African American screeners have had the highest average percent change over time for anxiety and depression, while Native American screeners have had the highest average percent change over time for suicidal thoughts.
In September 2020, over half of 11-17-year-olds reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm more than half or nearly every day of the previous two weeks. From January to September 2020, 77,470 youth reported experiencing frequent suicidal ideation, including 27,980 LGBTQ+ youth.
Over 8 in 10 people who took an anxiety screening scored with moderate to severe symptoms in September 2020. Over 8 in 10 people who took a depression screen have scored with symptoms of moderate to severe depression consistently since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
37% of people reported having thoughts of suicide more than half or nearly every day in September 2020.
All of this can seem overwhelming to think about, but the positive thing is that we are thinking about it, and there are things that are improving when it comes to mental health in the U.S.
How We’re Improving
Now, it’s time to look at the better news – and one of the biggest pieces of good news is that this data is so readily available, and that it’s being studied, discussed, and worried about. And that brings us to our first improvement:
The term “mental health” is not so stigmatized anymore
Mental health has come a long way and we have learned to destigmatize it, but some work still needs to be done.
For centuries, “mental health,” or any terms related to psychological health as opposed to physical health, have only been used to talk only about severe forms of illness, or have been highly charged and stigmatized. But these days, we can talk about “mental health” as one part of our overall health, and the term is more inclusive, including anything from as simple as taking care of yourself holistically to getting treatment for anxiety or depression.
Experts agree that bringing mental health out in the open has had a positive effect: according to Dr. Mark van Ommeren, a mental health expert who works with the World Health Organization, “Years of study after study showing that [mental health] conditions are common have created a snowball effect. Media has played a positive role here, as have influential people who are starting to speak more about their mental health, which helps to reduce the stigma.”
One way we still need to improve in this regard? According to Kryss Shane, a social worker and educator, “We continue to see mental healthcare as a response to problems, rather than something recommended for everyone as a way to improve life in general. If we are able to alter this understanding, it will not only further remove stigma, it will encourage people to seek out help before they are in crisis.”
The law has made mental health equal to physical health
The first decade of the twentieth century saw some extremely important changes to the way we treat mental health on a governmental level, which has greatly improved access for a lot of people. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 both put mental health on par with physical health when it comes to what’s covered. In fact, the ACA made mental health an “essential” healthcare benefit, meaning it has to be covered by all ACA-approved plans.
With that being said, though, people who need this type of care are still not always getting access to it, and supply often outstrips demand for mental health treatment, so we do still have a ways to go in this regard.
Technology is helping
Here’s a true twenty-first-century improvement to access to mental health care: nowadays, we have ways to speak to a professional, or take time to focus on ourselves, that we never had before thanks to technology. For example, you can hop online and speak to a mental health professional through the use of telemedicine, download an app to chat with someone in that field, or even access apps that help you to meditate and recenter yourself.
Again according to Dr. van Ommeren, “If you think of the conventional way of how people receive mental health support it would be once a week driving to the therapist and then going home. That takes time, but with telemedicine and meditation apps, people can do it from home in little bits. This is a reason for optimism. In this way, mental health support is being made more available.”
Dr. Don Mordecai, MD, Kaiser Permanente’s national leader for mental health, adds: “Technology will continue to evolve as a way to deliver mental health care, ranging from stand-alone skills-based apps, to coaching, to interaction with licensed professionals.”
What You Can Do for Your Mental Health
So there is reason to be positive, when we see that we are at least taking steps toward improving things, but experts tell us we still have a long way to go, and the statistics bear that out. What else do we need to be doing? According to most experts, we need to be focusing on prevention, and taking care of ourselves and those we love. According to Dr. John Krystal, MD, chair of the Psychiatry Department at Yale Medicine, “As much as possible, as we expand the health literacy of Americans, we need to make sure that we also increase their understanding of mental illness and addiction. We can do a better job of early detection and early intervention when we do a better job of looking out for ourselves, our families, our friends and our co-workers. Stigma is what develops when we view a problem like depression or addiction as something that happens to others; stigma goes away when we appreciate that mental illness and addiction could happen to us and those that we care for.”
That means that the one thing you can do right now to get us all moving in the right direction is to take care of your own mental health! Where to start? Try:
Valuing yourself, by treating yourself with kindness and respect, and avoiding self-criticism, as well as making time for your hobbies and favorite things to do.
Taking care of your body, and your physical health, by eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
Surrounding yourself with a strong, healthy support network.
Volunteering your time and energy to helping others.
Learning how to deal with stress, and practicing good coping skills, perhaps by trying things like Tai Chi, exercise, hiking, playing with your pet, journal writing, or other relaxation techniques. Remember to also add laughter into your life, which can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body, and reduce stress.
When it comes down to it, physical health just seems so much more straightforward than mental health, and so much easier to get a handle on and make strides in, right? But we absolutely cannot ignore the mental health crisis we’re all facing as a society; remember, we’re all in this together, and while we have made great improvements, there is so much more we need to do – so start with you!
Fast food can even trigger the pleasure centers of the brain to release dopamine, the same chemical that fuels addictions, so you might end up needing more and more fast food to feed your cravings. 
