A Possible Vaccine For The Novel Coronavirus? – Ruxolitinib

Amidst the current pandemic, we find ourselves trapped in an era when time feels warped and sudden changes in our lives have become frequent. Whether it’s the feeling of isolation as a consequence of social distancing/quarantining or the emotional burden of dealing with the diagnosis and/or death of a loved one, COVID-19 has brought along drastic changes in everyone’s mental health states. Anxiety about what to expect in the near future and fear of the uncertain circumstances spread almost as fast as the virus itself. Challenged by the times and overwhelming emotions, many find themselves struggling to maintain an untroubled state mental health.

As observed in the United Nations Policy Brief: COVID 19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health, mental health conditions were already poor prior to the emergence of the virus. With the additional stress, the need for mental health intervention continues to soar. In Ravi Philip Ravikumar’s journal, COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature, he states “preliminary evidence suggests that symptoms of anxiety and depression (16–28%) and self-reported stress (8%) are common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic.” While extensive research on the relative inflation of mental health conditions continues, it is evident that the overall mental health of people across the globe has been in decline since the onset of the virus. Evidence of this decline can be seen through increased reports of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Parallel to worsening mental health conditions is the increase of negative coping mechanisms. In the reports of a study from Canada included in the UN Policy Brief, it was discovered  “20% of the population aged 15-49 increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic.” The UN Policy Brief also draws a comparison between COVID-19 and the 2008 economic recession when “a rise in ‘deaths of despair’ was recorded among working-age Americans. Suicide and substance-use related mortality accounted for most of these deaths, which linked to loss of hope due to the lack of employment and rising inequality,” suggesting “a similar toll on people’s mental health may be anticipated.”

However, during times like these we see communities gathering to assist and comfort one another. Families have gotten closer and spend more time with each other. People have found various ways to stay in touch with friends. While in some ways these connections have strengthened and have partly helped with mental health conditions, there is still an opportunity to better promote mental health. Together, our community can dissolve stigma surrounding mental health and help those in need of support.