Energized by the hope of herd immunity and a return to normalcy, America appears to be cautiously emerging from the past year’s collective depression. And considering 2020’s mental health statistics, the cloud is lifting not a moment too soon. Last year, one in four people aged 18 to 24 seriously contemplated suicide (CDC); a Help.org survey showed one in three adults “knowing someone with an addiction;” more than one in three adults in the U.S. reported symptoms of anxiety and depression disorder – compared to one in ten when surveyed the previous year; and eight in ten adults described the pandemic as a “significant source of stress in [their lives]” (APA). And while heartbreaking, as a therapist and executive coach I believe the negative effects of lockdown restrictions offer a silver lining: advice for how we can improve our mental health and increase our resilience well beyond the remainder of the pandemic.
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