COVID-19 and Mental Health

Both SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected the mental health of adults and children. Many people experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder during the pandemic. Data also suggest that people are more likely to develop mental illnesses or disorders in the months following COVID-19 infection. People with Long COVID may experience many symptoms related to brain function and mental health .

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread mental health impacts, some people are more likely to be affected than others. This includes people from racial and ethnic minority groups, mothers and pregnant people, people with financial and housing insecurity, children, people with disabilities, people with preexisting mental illnesses or substance use problems, and health care workers.

NIMH is supporting research to understand and address the impacts of the pandemic on mental health. This includes research to understand how COVID-19 affects people with existing mental illnesses across their entire lifespan. NIMH also supports research to help meet people’s mental health needs during the pandemic and beyond. This includes research focused on making mental health services more accessible through telehealth, digital tools, and community-based interventions.

NIMH is also working to understand the unique impacts of the pandemic on specific groups of people, including people in underserved communities and children. For example, NIMH supports research investigating how pandemic-related factors, such as school disruptions, may influence children’s brain, cognitive, social, and emotional development.