The Nature and Treatment of Pandemic-Related Psychological Distress
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ORIGINAL PAPER
The Nature and Treatment of Pandemic‑Related Psychological Distress William C. Sanderson1 · Vinushini Arunagiri1 · Allison P. Funk1 · Karen L. Ginsburg1 · Jacqueline K. Krychiw1 · Anne R. Limowski1 · Olenka S. Olesnycky1 · Zoe Stout1
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract The COVID-19 crisis has created a “mental health pandemic” throughout the world. Scientific data are not available to fully understand the nature of the resulting mental health impact given the very recent onset of the pandemic, nevertheless, there is a need to act immediately to develop psychotherapeutic strategies that may alleviate pandemic-related distress. The psychological distress, in particular fear and sadness, is a function of the pandemic’s negative impact upon people’s ability to meet their most basic needs (e.g., physical safety, financial security, social connection, participation in meaningful activities). This paper presents evidence-based cognitive behavioral strategies that should prove useful in reducing the emotional suffering associated with the COVID crisis. Keywords COVID-related psychological distress · Pandemic · Psychological intervention Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide were increasing in the U.S. well before the pandemic (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2019). Thus, it is no surprise that the very recent “mental health pandemic” as a result of COVID-19 (COVID) will further accelerate the increasing prevalence of these disorders (Marques et al. 2020; Strakowski et al. 2020) as a result of its impact upon people’s day-to-day functioning (Brooks et al. 2020). Indeed, a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 56 percent of people reported that the worry or stress tied to COVID had a negative effect on their emotional well-being (Panchal et al. 2020). Moreover, many individuals may attempt to cope with these negative psychological effects in unhelpful ways (e.g., alcohol/ substance use) that can actually result in an increased susceptibility to COVID-19 (Da et al. 2020; Volkow 2020). Clearly, the COVID crisis is likely to have an enormous negative impact upon mental health if left ignored. The pandemic has disrupted the ability to satisfy core human needs in almost all areas to an alarming extent (e.g., Co-authors (all authors other than the primary author) listed in alphabetical order to demonstrate equal contribution. * William C. Sanderson [email protected] 1
Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
Brooks et al. 2020). Much of the population is worried about meeting their most basic needs (e.g., paying rent, buying food) as a result of economic hardship (e.g., unemployment) as well as an increasing scarcity of resources (e.g., food, cleaning products, personal protective equipment such as masks). People are living in a chronic state of fear of contracting the virus. Socially distancing and disconnecting rather than affiliating
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