Mental Health Moments: Pandemic Takeaways
⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten and Isabella Mershon ⌛
Over a year ago, our lives collectively changed when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world as we knew it.
Since then, mental health issues have skyrocketed. Individuals may have new diagnoses or fall into the same issues they have known about and lived with for a while. No matter the onset, mental health has been at the forefront of many casual conversations to clinical studies.
The pandemic has affected our lives in countless ways, from challenges finding safe childcare options to being thrust into a 100% virtual environment overnight. We have worried about our own health, the health of family and friends, and what the world will look like after the height of the pandemic ends. We have had calls to action, reckonings, and hard conversations sparked by the pandemic, racial injustice, and other issues.
Stress, due to those issues and others, has been more prevalent, which has a direct impact on our mental health. Public health officials reported that approximately 40% of adults in the United States were struggling with a mental health or substance use issue in June 2020.
What has stress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, looked like? According to the CDC, stress can manifest in the following ways:
“Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
Worsening of chronic health problems
Worsening of mental health conditions
Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances”
While all of us have struggled during the pandemic, we each have our own narratives during a timeframe in which we never imagined would occur. In this blog post, our CEO Kaylin and Integrated Communications Assistant Isabella delve into some key takeaways after one year of living through a pandemic.
Adjusting to life changes - Isabella
As we are (hopefully) nearing the end of the pandemic, I look back at this time last year and think of how different the world is. Now, I find myself initially appalled by the characters on my TV for not wearing a mask but later realizing that it was filmed “pre-covid”. I have learned the importance of smiling with my eyes to show emotion while wearing a mask. Also, I never imagined a day that a mask would be just as important as my car keys when leaving my house and that “how to prevent maskne” would be something in my google search history.
When the Ohio Governor announced that Ohioans would be on a lockdown for two-weeks, a lot of fear arose in myself and my family. It was the first time that I had realized the severity of the virus. Ever since I was a kid, I have had many respiratory issues. Due to my weakened immune system, fighting off respiratory illnesses took me longer than the average child — sometimes requiring multiple rounds of antibiotics before I was feeling better. Knowing this about my body while seeing the effects of the virus on other people gave me a lot of anxiety. My hands were dry and cracked from excessive hand-washing and a Lysol can was always near my side for the first couple of months. I only left my house to take my dogs for walks outside or to go for runs by myself. These “outings” helped me maintain my sanity, to say the least. I grew a new appreciation for spending time in nature and enjoying the little things. It was a chance for me to escape the stress of my schooling, the same walls in my house, and the Netflix shows I was binging to pass time.
The lockdown lasted much longer than most people expected. When I saw my friends again for the first time in the summer, I remember feeling very guilty. The new guidelines stated small gatherings were okay, but being around other people again felt strange. Even though it was different, I was so appreciative of any opportunity I had to spend quality time with the people I care about. When I was able to spend time with friends, we were not glued to our phones like many times in the past. Instead, we were engaging in meaningful conversations and making the most out of our time together.
Being able to focus on mental health - Kaylin
All of us worried about if we would have enough food, toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and other items. People lost their jobs, events were canceled, and virtual learning became the norm for all students. We sat at our homes, binge-watching “Tiger King” while making the perfect banana bread and developing our love for clean skincare routines and crazy celebrity news. Sometimes, a day ended up being completely unproductive, complete with playing video games all day like I did when I was a teenager. Other times, I worked for 12+ hours straight without so much as a break. I learned early on that I had to throw expectations and perfectionism away. The pandemic caused all of us to assess what really matters and relish our own collection of moments.
I remember walking around Target after compulsively checking the website all day to see if a new shipment of toilet paper arrived. As I piled the cart with the allowed number of toilet paper and other items, I remember thinking, “This is the most surreal time period of my life.” I kept going back to the surreal nature of 2020, from having to completely shift client plans, cooking my own holiday dinners for two, and being fearful of anyone who didn’t wear a mask on rare outings. I woke up feeling like it was Groundhog Day a lot, and although I like routines, I have realized that a bit of spontaneity does wonders for my mental health.
One positive aspect of the pandemic has been the reinvigorated emphasis on my mental health and regular virtual therapy appointments. I had time to ruminate about who I am as a person and what I wanted to change or accept. I have learned how to be a better active listener, how to use my empathy in healthy ways, and how to establish boundaries. I spent a lot of time with myself, and I strengthened more self-love tendencies, although I still struggle with negative inner voices. I also kind of have had a co-worker since last March, since my husband has worked from home since then.
Being a college student in a pandemic - Isabella
COVID-19 has greatly affected my college experience. During the spring semester of 2020, Ohio University announced that students would not return from spring break and that we would finish the remainder of the semester online. As a communication major, many of my classes thrive on in-class discussion and group activity, so the transition to an online format was difficult for everyone involved.
My professors did the best that they could to not decrease the quality of education we were receiving, but this seemed inevitable. Professors had less than a week to restructure our courses and the assignments from an in-person format to an online format. I was thankful to have empathetic professors who understood how hard the transition was for student’s mental health as well. Many professors were lenient on deadlines and some even decided to not administer a final exam.
Despite having great professors, transitioning from in-person to online while moving back home with my parents was very trying. Right before the pandemic, I was thriving in my courses and my student employment. I was taking classes that I was passionate about, I had professors that I looked forward to seeing in class, I had established friend groups that I enjoyed being around in class, etc. Once my classes went online, it was a lonely experience. I was missing out on the social interaction I was used to. I missed walking to class and seeing the cherry blossoms blooming, I missed studying in my favorite coffee shops or in the library with my friends, I missed attending university events, and so much more. Instead, I was stuck looking at a computer for hours a day.
For my student job, I had received a promotion in February and loved the work I was doing. I was building professional connections at Ohio University and working towards obtaining a Graduate Assistant position. When Ohio University transitioned online, my student employment allowed the students to finish out the semester doing virtual work. Once the semester was over, the opportunity to work virtually was over and my position along with other student employment positions in the organization was dissolved and made into one position. Because of this, there was not enough hours for everyone to work so I had to leave this employment. I was devastated because I truly loved my job and saw myself in a company that I wanted to continue to work for in the future.
Being pregnant and giving birth during a pandemic - Kaylin
I have always thought that I was a strong person, even when I have been at my lowest low and most anxious and depressed. Deep down, I think, “It’s OK. I have made it through before, and I will do it again.” Those pep talks have gotten me through some of the largest challenges of my life; however, 2020 tested every ounce of my being. As a business owner, I was forced to lean into flexibility. As a perfectionist who loves toeing the line of master plans and achievement, not being able to do business as normal threw me for a loop. I will admit, however, that my business has always been set up for a remote structure, but all of us were learning how to adjust to a new normal every second of every day.
In January 2020, my life changed forever. I found out I was pregnant, and working throughout the first trimester was challenging in itself (I even wrote an article about it). When the nation shut down in March, I was on the cusp of the second trimester, when I actually felt much better and could focus on work, passion projects, and spending time with loved ones. I spent the entire pregnancy, for the most part, attending appointments by myself. I learned we were having a boy by myself with my husband on FaceTime in the most impersonal gender reveal ever. I had a panic attack alone in the examination room while the doctor and nurses urged me to calm down because my blood pressure was too high. I gave birth to our son during a time in which no other family member could come to the hospital.
My husband and I couldn’t have much help in the fourth trimester. We have had to make challenging choices to keep our son safe during the pandemic, limiting our in-person gatherings, errand runs, and time in public to a bare minimum. I lived, worked, moved to a new house, dealt with the ups and downs of mental health -- all while being pregnant and then taking care of a newborn during a pandemic. For anyone who gave birth during a pandemic: you have a special brand of superpower. All women are powerful in their own ways, but I truly believe I gained so much strength from this experience. It was the most challenging, scary, stressful experience of my life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It made me a resilient mom right out of the gate. Also, when you have four kidney stones while pregnant, you pretty much can conquer the world.
Working in a Pandemic - Isabella
In the news and on social media, I saw and read about people losing their jobs and being forced out of their homes. Seeing this changed my perspective. I was fearful that my parents might lose their jobs like many others. Because of this, I made the decision for fall semester to do part-time school and work full-time. This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make. I wanted to be young and have fun with few worries like I was before the pandemic, but there were so many unknowns in the world. I felt that at that time, a stable job was more important than another semester of full-time online classes.
During this time, I worked in a bank and now work as a server to better accommodate my schooling. While the jobs themselves are very different, I still have worked with people everyday in both employments. One thing I learned in both jobs is how exhausted people are with having to accommodate their normal routines to a safer, pandemic-friendly option. Many times, I am the person who people take their frustrations out on. This has been extremely draining for my mental health. I feel like a sponge most days. I go to work, listen to people’s frustrations and anger while remaining positive, and then go home and attempt to release the negativity out of my mind. Most nights, I am mentally exhausted when I get home and feel like going straight to sleep.
I learned the importance of implementing more self-care into my day, even if it is something as small as a hot bath at the end of the day. Also I realized that no matter how bad any day is, I know that when I get home I will be greeted at the door by my dogs with so much love and excitement (and a German Shepard who wants to play ball all night long) and my family. Even though being stuck in a house with my family has driven us all a little crazy, it has helped me realize how lucky I am to have such a great support system in my life.
Feeling the fatigue of the digital world - Kaylin
While I am an introvert at heart, I am more of an ambivert at this stage of my life. Hourglass Media has always had a 50 percent in-person and 50 percent remote structure, which actually helped during the pandemic. The pandemic caused all of us to rely on virtual meetings, and I began spending more hours than usual in front of a screen. For someone who is an introvert to my core, I began to easily tire of Zoom, Webex, and meetings on other platforms. Public relations and writing can be computer-oriented careers at times, but the number of meetings really started to test the natural work-life balance of in-person meetings, events, and other gatherings. I felt like I had to always be “on,” with time away from the office less of a necessity. All of us were working and trying to pass the time with projects, hobbies, and items that had been on the back burner.
One thing that I did like, however? Not commuting to meetings! While I do enjoy talking with people (I wouldn’t be a PR person otherwise!), I did like the to-the-point nature of meetings, which cut out the clutter. I also liked being able to wear comfortable clothes and not wear a lot of makeup during my digital appearances. (It is surreal to be on the news in my home office while my son is screaming in the background.) One aspect that will be challenging is to readjust to life after the pandemic, whatever that will look like for me and for others. I typically recharge with time by myself and only with those closest to me, so I am sure I will have interaction overload -- even though I crave human interaction just like anyone else.
What will I keep post-pandemic?
More virtual meetings with small doses of in-person meetings. They are efficient in so many ways.
Taking time to relax and do things that I love to do (outside of work).
Spending valuable time with my husband and son.
Working whenever I can, which is vital when you have a 7-month-old. Stay tuned for more emails at random hours from yours truly, but feel free to respond when you are on regular work time!
Not spending money on frivolous things.
Scheduling regular therapy appointments.
Continuing to wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart from others, avoid large crowds (or at least be properly distanced), getting the vaccine, washing my hands, and keeping to a regular cleaning house schedule.
Please note: These blog posts are not clinical, although we will provide symptoms and other information. These posts are based on my experiences with anxiety and mental health in general. If you or someone you know needs help, visit a website like Mental Health America to learn more.
Mental Health Moments blog posts are every other Tuesday of the month. Our CEO and contributors highlight what it's like to live with a mental health disorder and continue to fight the stigma through storytelling.
Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with 18 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, boy + cat mom, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.
Isabella Mershon is a third year communications student at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She hopes that her drive along with her passion for leadership and advocacy will help promote success in her career and make a difference in the lives of those around her. Connect with her on LinkedIn!