It’s hard to believe that it’s been a full year since the world shut down in response to the rising crisis of COVID-19. At the time, it was hard to imagine how we’d spend the next few days indoors. Those days slowly turned into weeks which turned into months. Flash forward to 2021, there have been over 2.7 million deaths due to COVID-19. But the virus is not the only concern this pandemic has risen.

Long-Lasting Mental Health Impacts 

A full year spent quarantining, while necessary, has its side effects of its own – even for those who remained healthy. Switching up a daily routine is enough to take a toll on one’s mental health. Add in the additional challenges of staying indoors, limiting social interaction, and potentially grieving the loss of a friend or family member, it can be nearly impossible to keep a positive attitude.

In fact, the demand for professional mental health help through counseling and therapy has increased substantially throughout the pandemic, to the point where many potential new patients may struggle to get an appointment. In a world where many lack the strength to face their mental health and seek care for fear of judgment, another obstacle in the way of treatment is the last thing we need.

And while the mood swings and down days may be directly caused by the current situation, that’s not to say that things will be immediately resolved once the world starts to return to the ‘new normal’. It’s likely that reintegrating into society after a year of isolation could cause even more mental health challenges that could have impacts for many years to come.

Inequalities Exacerbated 

Moving away from personal health issues, pre-existing structural societal issues such as inequalities have been even more punctuated during the pandemic. Those who were struggling financially prior to the shut-down have faced even more battles to survive the challenging times.

Without the resources to overcome tough times, a job loss or salary cut can be devastating to someone who was living paycheck to paycheck to support their families. Though government relief programs have been put in place in attempts to alleviate these burdens, they are often not enough.

For example, despite a national eviction moratorium in place by the CDC, many renters who can’t afford their rent are still in fear of being kicked out of thier homes. Phoenix, AZ is home to the most evictions during COVID-19, according to a report by United Way. Homelessness is a growing problem that will continue to worsen if conditions carry on.

An Economy Like No Other 

The term ‘unprecedented times’ has been used time and time again to describe the COVID-era, but it truly is the only way to sum up the situation. In the past year, we’ve seen historic economic lows and highs. The start of the pandemic was characterized by fear and anxiousness. People cut back spending, employers reduced capacity, and companies paused major plans. The economy hit record unemployment and inflation rates comparable to the Great Depression.

Luckily, we’ve already seen significant recovery in these numbers. People are getting back to work, meaning a more stable income and in turn, more flexibility on their budget. We’ve seen communities banning together to support small businesses like never before. But still, things are far from thriving.

The bottom line is, COVID-19 has had harsh impacts on nearly every facet of life. These impacts will likely carry on for many years to come. While we continue to fight the spread of the virus, we must remember the other side effects that require recovery.