Scary, isolating, and terrifying are just a few of the words people used when I asked them what it’s been like working in healthcare or a healthcare-related setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Long hours with limited breaks. Few interactions with the outside world. Burnout and stress like never before. This is the perfect recipe for deteriorating mental health. Literally perfect.
I remember when I first started ERP, I would carry around a chart jotted down on a piece of paper. My goal was to keep track of some environmental factors that could be having an impact on my OCD—think stress at work, sleep schedule, and time spent with friends and family. When these things were high, or low in the case of interactions with friends and family, my OCD went on overdrive. Every. Single. Time.
See what I mean by the perfect recipe? If you don’t believe me, consider the science. For example, studies have shown that loneliness has a number of negative health effects and is linked to both physical and mental health, including depression. Additionally, long-term stress increases the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
I never got anywhere close to the frontlines of the pandemic, but I can only imagine the impact it would have had on my mental health. And the worst part, in my opinion, is that it was so sudden; there wasn’t any time to prepare. Yes, isolated outbreaks happen around the world, but who could have expected something of this magnitude? The world hasn’t experienced something of this magnitude since influenza infected 500 million people and claimed the lives of at least 50 million worldwide between 1918 and 1919.
Most of the time, I’m proactive in the way I approach my mental health—I know it’s an inevitability so I take steps and adopt strategies to help minimize the impact when the symptoms flare. I practice controlled breathing, for example. These things help me. For people on the frontlines of the pandemic, they couldn’t do these things—they didn’t have the chance to build a barrier and prepare. I have to imagine it was like a rogue wave.
The thing about your mental health is that it can ebb and flow. For me, it’s exacerbated by the environment. For example, when my Grandpa passed away in 2007, the sadness led to a deterioration in my mental wellbeing. When I was laid off at the beginning of the pandemic, my OCD spiked. When these things happen, I address them. I read. I meditate. I do ERP. Millions of healthcare workers on the frontline didn’t (and still don’t) have this choice, and the effects are, well, kind of what you’d expect. According to a survey from Mental Health America of 1,119 healthcare workers, 93% were experiencing stress, 86% reported experiencing anxiety, 77% reported frustration, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout, and 75% said they were overwhelmed. The healthcare professionals I spoke with shared a similar sentiment:
Resident Care Aide at a Senior Living Community
It definitely impacted my life, I didn’t see any of my family, it was especially hard during the holidays. Work was extremely difficult because during the last year we did not allow visitors to come to see their families so I was their “family”. I wanted to be there for them then more than ever because I felt like I was all they had. We did a lot of video calls so they could see their families but it’s not the same as seeing and hugging your loved ones in person. I spent many drives home from work in tears because I was just emotionally drained and exhausted not only for not being able to be with my own family but for the sadness my residents were feeling during those difficult times.
Registered Nurse
It affected my life in a way that I couldn’t see my family and friends. I directly worked in the Covid ICU so I didn’t want to potentially pass it to anyone. I never got it but the thought of being around my loved ones was terrifying. I noticed that I was very lonely. I felt like I was in my own isolated bubble and that made me anxious and had me overthinking everything. Those around me (meaning at work) we’re all in the same boat. We saw each other at work but barely talked because we were just so busy. Even at work, we were really isolated. There was just too much to do. My social interaction decreased drastically.
Continuous Improvement Consultant at Boston Children’s Hospital
When the pandemic first hit and we were all instructed to work from home, I went into a very depressed state. I live alone and wasn’t allowed to see anyone. After weeks of being by myself, sleeping at every chance I got (in between and even during meetings, sometimes), my colleagues started to notice negative changes in behavior and performance, so I decided to go back to NY and stay with my parents. After I was deemed an essential worker, I was in a constant state of emotional flux, bouncing between wanting to support the hospital during the pandemic and being scared to go to work/mad at capitalism for putting profits above employee safety.
Licensed Therapist
When the pandemic initially began my whole life went online. That was a trying time for sure, as I was sharing a small space with my boyfriend who was also working online, and his 3 other roommates. Personal space was nonexistent, and there were definitely moments of tension within the apartment. Eventually, I had to be in the office at the Hospital in person. My mental health was definitely affected, including that I was a lot more anxious and sought my own therapy. My life was strictly at home, work, and online school. There was no room for family time or a social life – many spaces were shut down anyway & many, including myself, were scared of contracting the virus. Working at a hospital during this time was also a bit nerve-wracking considering I met with patients face to face during therapy sessions. While this is lower risk than if I were a nurse, doctor, or PA seeing infected patients, I still found myself getting very nervous if I felt sick and had a cold for example. The mental health of many people around me also changed. My close friends who are nurses were definitely more stressed and had symptoms of depression. We spoke about the things they saw and witnessed, and I can imagine that being truly life-changing. I also noticed friends and family were more anxious and hyper-vigilant.