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The study used data from 2,359 adults, a subset of participants nationwide who were enrolled in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3. The researchers compared data between two different time periods – 2018 and July to September 2020 – to characterize levels of psychological distress.
They found that 42% of people in the study reported experiencing mild psychological distress during the pandemic in 2020, up from only 32% in 2018. Ten percent of study participants in 2020 suffered from anxiety. or moderate to severe depression. And depression was more common in people with pre-existing health conditions, like cancer.
“If the worry is intrusive beyond the stressor, it’s anxiety,” said Ackrill, who was not in the study. “If sadness is a mood that you cannot change beyond the situation, it is depression.”
The researchers also found that women were more likely than men to report higher psychological distress during the pandemic – particularly anxiety.
Women tend to be the keepers of the household, even when gender roles are more balanced than they were in the past, said John Duffy, clinical psychologist and family therapist in Chicago, who was not involved. in the study.
“They not only take responsibility for their fears, worries and anxieties, but also those around them,” said Duffy.
Higher psychological distress before the pandemic was associated with higher levels of distress during the pandemic.
They found that for men, high psychological distress before the pandemic was associated with an 11-fold increase in depression. This compares to a 6-fold increase in depression among women who had high psychological distress before the pandemic.
“Higher levels of work / life balance stressors were more strongly associated with depression in women and anxiety in men; however, higher levels of financial stressors were more strongly associated with depression in men, ”the researchers wrote.
During the pandemic, one or more financial stressors were associated with more than double the risks of psychological distress.
The importance of asking for help
The researchers said their findings underscore the need for regular mental health assessment by medical professionals.
One technique she recommended is using your five senses to identify things you can see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and then something you are grateful for.
“The attention it takes to list each of these things is often just enough to focus on what is stressing us and focus on the moment,” said Breland-Noble, who was not on the study. .
It’s also important to participate in activities you enjoyed before you felt distressed and set aside time to take care of yourself, Duffy said.
Some examples of self-care include journaling, walking with a friend, or watching a favorite TV show, he said.
If anyone continues to struggle with their mental health, Duffy recommended that they seek professional mental health support, such as counseling.
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