• According to a Household Pulse Survey by the US Census Bureau, over 40% of adults surveyed reported experiencing anxiety and/or depression during COVID-19.
• Scientific American reports that virtual reality is now being used for exposure therapy, which is “a treatment for anxiety disorders in which patients are exposed to anxiety-inducing stimuli in a safe, controlled environment.”
• In the healthcare field, virtual sessions and video calls with doctors have become much more commonplace. Virtual visits might be one step closer to a return to “normal” for some people.

By Lindsey Naples

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic was unexpected in many ways. Many of us were surprised with how suddenly it hit, and many others were surprised in how long it lasted. Now, as our pandemic-weary society has been dealing with COVID for about two years, we should all be aware that this global health crisis has had—and will continue to have—an effect on people’s mental health.

Think back…how did you feel when COVID first hit and we were all forced into lockdown? Personally, I loved it at first. I suddenly had time to do every puzzle I ever owned. I’m also an introvert by nature with a list of health issues, so social distancing and curfews were basically my Olympics. Over time, though, I started to feel the weight of it all—isolation, fear, and the realization that no one knew what the future held became very difficult.

Coping with the New Normal

When the mask mandates began to be lifted during a lull in cases, it was like the sun came back out for many…but not so fast! Deaths and hospitalizations have continued, cases continue to surge at times, hospitals and schools are overwhelmed, and new variants are discovered on a regular basis. If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that this pandemic isn’t going to go quietly. In addition, after months of quarantine, I found that some of my friends became utterly terrified to see other people or even leave their houses. Things haven’t gotten much better for them as the pandemic has dragged on, and they aren’t alone. According to a Household Pulse Survey by the US Census Bureau, over 40% of adults surveyed reported experiencing anxiety and/or depression during COVID-19.

Figure 1. Share of Adults Reporting Anxiety/Depression During COVID-19

Notes: These adults, ages, 18+, have symptoms of anxiety or depression that generally occur more than half the days or nearly every day.
Data shown is for January 6-18, 2021

Source: US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, 2020-2021; Chart Recreated by Keypoint Intelligence

As emphasized in a September article published by Scientific American, “mental health conditions were a leading cause of disability worldwide” even before the pandemic hit. Today, it should come as little surprise that there’s a litany of new issues plaguing people that may not have been there prior.

Is Virtual Reality the Answer?

After editing an article from a colleague on using augmented reality (AR) to have collaborative virtual meetings with a remote workforce, I started to wonder—can virtual reality (VR) help with any phobias you’ve developed, or even had before the pandemic? If you could sit in a conference room with your co-workers from a VR headset, what’s to say you couldn’t use one to practice sitting in a room of people or coming close to a person without panicking?

In another article from Scientific American, this idea is put to the test with VR being used for “exposure therapy,” which is “a treatment for anxiety disorders in which patients are exposed to anxiety-inducing stimuli in a safe, controlled environment.” The thinking is that through repeated (but controlled) exposure to a fear, the patient will eventually realize that the stimuli they’re being exposed to is not as threatening as they once considered it to be. Although this type of therapy is predominantly used with patients suffering from PTSD, it would seem to be applicable to many other anxiety-provoking stimuli… for example, a newfound fear of crowds, germs, and the outside world due to a global health crisis.

Of course, not everyone has a VR headset, and not all mental health professionals offer exposure therapy. Given the widespread uncertainty and fear that came with the pandemic, however, it might be worthwhile to consider alternative ways of handling things. We’ve already found new ways to work, hold company meetings, and connect with people, so maybe it’s also time to find new ways to improve our mental health.

Advancements in Healthcare

In an article written by Med-Tech News, the concept using technology to improve mental health was taken further than just using VR. When the pandemic first hit, virtual sessions and video calls with doctors became much more commonplace. According to the article, “Evidence gathered throughout the pandemic shows that patients suffering from mental health issues found that travelling to in-person appointments in clinical settings created an additional level of anxiety and stress.” This is quite understandable, especially considering all the social distancing recommendations we’ve been hearing over the past two years.

Mental health spans an incredibly broad range of issues, and there is rarely—if ever—a magic bullet for handling them. Virtual visits might be one step closer to a return to “normal” for some people, but others will still prefer in-person visits with health professionals. A virtual meeting is simply not the same as a face-to-face meeting, and some will crave this level of connection more than others. For example, people suffering from addiction often rely on in-person group sessions so they can physically connect and be in the same space with others who are fighting the same fight.

The Bottom Line

Clearly, there is no single effective way to cope with a health crisis that has already proven itself to be incredibly persistent. Although technology has made it possible for employees, friends, family members, doctors, and patients to remain connected to others in some way, the solutions are far from perfect. At the same time, however, it is important to keep moving forward and find alternatives when a traditional path is closed off. The solutions may not be ideal, but any route toward improved mental health is a step in the right direction.

Lindsey Naples of Keypoint Intelligence is responsible for copyediting and formatting a variety of content in addition to crafting her own blogs. Prior to joining Keypoint Intelligence, Ms. Naples worked as a freelance editor/writer. She graduated with a BA in Literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey and remains an avid reader.