You probably dont need me to tell you that the pandemic hasnotbeen great for our collectivemental health.
Everyone is feeling it in some way.
Maybe youve been feeling incredibly sad, angry, or anxious.
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Maybe you spend a lot of time spiraling about the future or worrying about your safety.
Maybe youre eating and sleeping way more or way less than you normally do.
Notice I said typically.
Because now, these symptoms also double as…totally normal reactionsto living through a pandemic.
Yes, we arent sleeping, but have you seen the news?
Yes, we arent concentrating, but were working from home (maybe with kids!
or no privacy or space to work!).
), what else are we supposed to be doing?
And therefore, how do you know when you should seek some help?
Lets talk about it.
First, heres theusualdifference between feeling depressed or anxious and having a disorder.
Intensity and duration matter too.
In normal times, these would be pretty easy to spot.
So what does it mean if you find yourself meeting these diagnostic criteria?
Well, its (you guessed it) complicated.
And this pandemic is nothing if notfullof big life stressors like these.
But its not a simple case of cause and effect.
No matter what, there are still specific warning signs you should look out for.
But weeks without any real breaks?
That is much more concerningand harder to deal with.
), so look out for specific symptoms, especially more severe ones.
But any symptom that goes on long enough is bound to impact your quality of life.
So sometimes, its easier to evaluate based on symptoms alone.
Or if youre having suicidal thoughts for the first time or your usual suicidal ideation is worsening.
Or if you used to have panic attacks every week and now you have them every day.
These changes would highlight a clear need, even when that need is buried in an already rotten baseline.
My advice?
Try not to worry about labeling what youre going through right now.
Maybe you want to know what the best course of treatment might be, if any.
Wouldmedicationhelp how depressed youre feeling about the pandemic?
Is this something it’s possible for you to go to therapy for?
Will it pass in time?
Should you wait it out?
These are questions I field all the time.
Other reasons for this curiosity are less practical but no less valid.
Sometimes a diagnosis can validate feelings or help you make sense of your behaviors.
But while its normal and understandable to wonder, it might be beside the point.
In the end, diagnosing anxiety and depression during a pandemic is not clear-cut or obvious.
Sometimes it might not even be necessary.
