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Self-Isolation and Self-Reflection
By Malika Rakhmonova
In order to 1) fully understand how the pandemic has changed the lives of millions of people and 2) contribute to reducing the stigma surrounding the discussion about mental health, it is invaluable to explore the effects of the pandemic outside the scope of the economic and political sphere. Now is a better time than any to delve into (and appreciate) the role that happiness and perception play in our society--even when that society is currently struggling in the unrelenting grip of a major pandemic.
Actions speak louder than words. Fear of catching COVID-19 is plateauing while mask-wearing continues to go up and social-distancing starts to increase again. .
Source: FiveThirtyEight
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Recently, the amount of people that are 'very' worried about infection rather than 'somewhat' is increasing.
From The Commonwealth Fund:
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"One-third of U.S. adults reported experiencing stress, anxiety, and great sadness that was difficult to cope with by themselves, a significantly higher proportion than in other countries. Only about one in three U.S. adults were able to get help from a professional to deal with these feelings."
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Source: FiveThirtyEight
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The orange line graphed against significant pandemic events is the percentage of those surveyed that are very concerned about the state of the economy. There is a spike as the ripples of the millions of lay-offs across the country starts a foreboding downturn in the economy. Does the state of the economy affect people’s happiness levels? Just like any change for the worse, it usually does.
Adults in the United States were the most likely (by a significant margin) to have been thrown into a difficult financial situation due to the pandemic.
From Trading Economics:
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"The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index in the US rose to 46.8 in August of 2020 from 44.0 in the previous month, remaining in the negative territory for the fifth consecutive month, as Covid-19 continues to take a heavy toll on the labor market. Still, Americans became less pessimistic about federal economic policies, the six-month economic outlook and the personal finances outlook on hopes that Congress will approve a second stimulus package amid a resurgence in coronavirus infections and restrictions."
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