Mental WellBeing, Health anxiety and the pandemic is a topic worth paying close attention to. Worries and anxiety about the virus and its impact can be overwhelming.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness, and at least 8.4 million Americans provide care to a person with emotional or mental illness.
We all have experienced major changes to how we live our life.
Headlines have focused mainly on physical health and wellness as well as the way our daily habits must change—from physical distancing to wearing masks. Farther from the front pages has been the critical issue of mental health, and data suggests we’re facing serious challenges related to depression, anxiety and emotional exhaustion.
What Is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety is the worry about getting sick and being consumed with the though “I have the corona virus and I am going to die, as is everyone I love.” Information overload, rumors and misinformation can make your life feel out of control and make it unclear what to do.
What is Mental Well-Being?
Our environment and culture play a significant role in mental wellness. Often mental health issues are most significant in those who had emotional challenges before a crisis. While the pandemic is creating trauma for all of us, it does not need to define our mental health and we can feel empowered about how we respond.
CLICK HERE for me eBOOK on Mental Well-Being and Resilience: A Self- Care Guide
The Global Mental Health Crisis
A brand new study**** identified the nature of the global mental health crisis and provides data that sheds light on the issues people are facing. It provides insights about the despair.
The study* of 2,700 people included a majority from the US (35% of the sample), in addition to people in the UK, France, Germany, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
Its respondents represented a variety of industries from food service and retail to manufacturing, technology, education, healthcare, government and more. It tapped the opinions of those who work from an office, those who newly work remote (the significant majority of the sample—58%), those who have always worked remote and more.
Here are some of the key points:
- 67% of people report higher levels of stress since the outbreak of COVID-19.
- 57% say they have greater anxiety since the outbreak.
- 54% say they are more emotionally exhausted.
- 53% say they feel sadness day-to-day.
- 50% feel they are more irritable.
- 42% report their overall mental health has declined.
Implications for the Workplace
Social isolation, employment uncertainty, and the virus itself have combined to shock the health and well-being of employees around the world. And while leaders are rightly focused on the physical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s another global challenge emerging: mental health.
Depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
In addition to the human toll, these mental health challenges also have implications for work since people also report their productivity has decreased. They say they have
- difficulty concentrating (28%),
- take longer to accomplish a task (20%),
- have difficulty thinking (15%),
- procrastinate challenging work (12%)
- difficulty juggling tasks and responsibilities (12%)
***This study was conducted as a partnership among Qualtrics, SAP and Mind Share Partners.
Look for my next BLOG on how you can support your mental wellness.
OTHER BLOGS ON THIS TOPIC
Resilience and Thriving – The Secret Power of Stress PODCAST EPISODE 1
