March marks five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a moment that reshaped lives in countless ways. Beyond its physical health impacts, the pandemic triggered a profound mental health crisis, bringing anxiety, isolation and grief to the forefront.
To Dr. Delany Smith, System Chief Clinical Officer at the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH), the pandemic highlighted conversations about emotional well-being, increased awareness of mental health and changed how communities approach behavioral health care and support.
Since 2020, Dr. Smith said people have continued to report ongoing anxiety and mood issues.
“It's hard to tell this many years later if a person’s stress-related disorder is directly related to the pandemic, but I do hear a lot of people use the phrase, ‘Since the pandemic,’ when they're talking about mental health symptoms from a timeline perspective,” she said.
While the pandemic led to a rise in stress-related disorders, it also helped shift perspectives, bringing greater prioritization of mental well-being.
“The pandemic brought out a lot of messaging around how it's OK to not be OK, which aimed to reduce mental health stigma,” Dr. Smith said. “There's now a greater awareness and focus on mental wellness, both in prevention and treatment.”
One such treatment service that became a necessity during the pandemic was telemedicine. A national study showed that telemedicine encounters increased 766% in the first three months of the pandemic. Even as isolation precautions and shelter-in-place orders have disappeared, Dr. Smith said telemedicine will stick around.
“Telehealth opened up options for people, especially those who are socially anxious, but I don't think there will ever be a world in which we won’t have in-person mental health care,” Dr. Smith said. “I think it was difficult on a number of patients when they couldn't see their providers in person, because for some of our severe and persistent mentally ill folks, that is one of their major sources of social interaction.”
For many, the pandemic introduced a greater emphasis on healthy coping strategies that has continued to evolve.
“We've seen a surge in apps designed to help manage anxiety, along with a growing awareness of mindfulness and meditation practices,” Dr. Smith said. “I also think resiliency has become a buzzword and something that people are realizing is important. We're always going to have tough things thrown at us, but having those skills and being resilient is going to serve us well.”
As the community continues to move forward in the years following the pandemic, the focus remains on expanding access to mental health resources and prioritizing prevention efforts to build long-term resilience.
“At ADAMH, we've always recognized and prioritized having preventative strategies and investments, but I think the pandemic has made everybody else more aware of the idea that it’s important to fill your own cup and to be well,” Dr. Smith said. “I think it's always safe to say that more funding and opportunities for people to continue to get the preventative education and treatment they need is crucial to building a healthier community.”