Coronavirus and mental health

Rather than putting on a smart suit, working in an office or out and about meeting lots of people, my social interaction dropped to just the checkout people at the supermarket.

Mental health effects of the pandemic

For many in society, the coronavirus pandemic may feel like it's over. We might feel happy that parts of life that we lost during lockdown are back to normal.

But for some of us, the effects of the pandemic may be ongoing. This may include experiences from the pandemic that had negative effects on your mental health, such as:

• Trauma – for example, if you were very unwell with covid and had to go into hospital. Or if you worked in a front-line service, and had to deal with difficult or dangerous situations.
• Grief – this may be because you lost someone during the pandemic. Or the pandemic may have reminded you of people you'd lost in the past, and brought back difficult feelings.
• Loneliness or social anxiety – you may have felt detached from other people during lockdown. These feelings may have been hard to move past.
• Negative news – for example, you may have struggled with reports about the number of people dying. Or when lockdowns were announced.

Because of lockdown restrictions, we didn't scatter my mother's ashes until the second anniversary of her death.

Long covid

You may still have physical health problems from the pandemic. These may also cause problems for your mental wellbeing.

For example, you might worry about catching covid or similar illnesses. This may be especially if you're more vulnerable to illness. This might make it feel hard to go out in public, especially to busy places.

And those of us who caught covid and experienced long-term symptoms may still be struggling. You may hear this called 'long covid'. The symptoms might include:

• Feeling very tired
• Experiencing 'brain fog'
• Changes to your sense of smell or taste
• Difficulty breathing

If you're concerned about this, visit the NHS page on long covid for more information.

My most consistent symptom has been debilitating fatigue. At times, I have only been able to walk short distances, often with a restricted gait, and very slowly.

Face masks

Some of us may find it difficult to wear face masks, or be around people in masks.

This may include feeling uncomfortable around people wearing masks in public. This might make them seem sinister or dehumanised. Or it may remind you of covid and other illnesses.

Or you may feel pressure to wear a mask in certain situations, even though they aren't required by law. For example, if you're not well but need to be out in public. Or if you're going to your GP or to hospital.

But there may be reasons that you find it difficult to wear a mask – such as struggling to breathe or feeling trapped.

If you struggle with face masks, see our page on mask anxiety for tips.

Problems accessing treatment and support

Your experiences of accessing and navigating mental health support may have changed since the pandemic began.

For example, you might now have online therapy, when you used to have it in person. You may also have had bad experiences of trying to access support during the pandemic, for your physical or mental health.

Where can I get help?

If you're finding things tough, there are lots of ways to get help. 

Visit our mental health information

You may be struggling with new mental health problems since the pandemic. Or your existing mental health problems may have got worse.

We have lots of information that may help, including pages on:

• Trauma
• PTSD
• Depression
• Anxiety

Or you may have had experiences that brought up lots of negative feelings, even if you don't recognise them as a mental health problem. We have information and tips that can help here too, including on:

• Bereavement
• Loneliness
• Coping with distressing events in the news

If you want to get help for your mental health, our pages on seeking help for a mental health problem are a good place to start.

Use Mind's services

Mind has services that may help with learning about mental health, and getting support:

• Helplines – our Infolines provide information and support by phone, email and text.
• Side by Side – our supportive online community for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
• Local Minds – provide local mental health support across England and Wales, offering telephone helplines and online services during coronavirus. 

Get support from other organisations

These organisations have information, services and support which may help, including about covid:

• Call Samaritans on 116 123 or text Shout on 85258, if you’re struggling and want to chat to someone.
• Refuge and Women's Aid can help if you’re experiencing abuse, or have experienced it in the past.
• NHS advice pages on covid-19, including information on testing and vaccination.
• Mencap's coronavirus pages have Easy Read information on coronavirus.
• At A Loss: The impact of the covid pandemic offers support for anyone who has experienced bereavement, including from covid.
• Cruse has advice and support for grief.
• Mental Health Foundation's coronavirus and mental health pages include advice, research and personal stories about the pandemic and mental health.

This information was published in April 2024. 

References and bibliography available on request.

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