With the isolation of social distancing and the fear of the unknown due to coronavirus, mental health matters now more than ever. As stay-at-home guidelines stretch indefinitely, many at home are experiencing increased levels of anxiety and depression fueled by a 24-hour news cycle, misinformation on social media platforms, and the worry that they, too, will become a victim of this rapidly spreading illness.

It’s important that as we come together as a community to flatten the curve of the virus’ impact, we also consider the behavioral health repercussions of this pandemic which could last far beyond physical ones.

While our experience with coronavirus is new, previous pandemics and viral outbreaks have caused a sharp uptick in depression rates and anxiety among the affected population. National reporting estimates that 40 million Americans experience anxiety disorder in a given year — and that’s before we encountered this unprecedented disease.

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