The Whole View, Episode 458: Collective Trauma and Re-Entry Anxiety
Welcome back to episode 458! (0:28)

With the decline of covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, many places around the United States are starting to open again.

Stacy has realized this last year was trauma, as much as that might sound like an exaggeration.

Trauma is very individual, but we've all experienced a collective trauma as a group, and now we're recovering it as we're re-entering into the new world.

This resonates especially with Stacy due to her experience with the effects of trauma with her foster kids.

She adds that this is not a dig at or to minimize anyone with different types of trauma or medical conditions regarding mental health. But we need to be willing to acknowledge that this is something people out in the world are going through and ways to support each other.

Sarah is also experiencing quite a lot of re-entry anxiety. She finds the world feels very different, and it's particularly challenging to reintegrate with people.

Why Are We Experiencing Re-Entry Anxiety?
We've made some very different choices during the last 15 months. Even now, we're making different risk analyses on masks and social distance. 

Sarah adds that she's vaccinated, but her entire family has not been yet, so she's still choosing to wear a mask. She's already been mask shamed the same way she was as an early-adopter of masks earlier in the pandemic.

This is a lot of change. Going back to normal after so long of isolation, virtual work, or school, and our old routines is a lot like establishing them.

Sarah manages by giving herself a lot of grace and just introducing one thing at a time. It's helpful to put those emotions into the mindset of trauma to better understand it.

We want our listeners to know that many people are going through the same thing as you. Society has gone through a collective trauma. 

Stacy wants to underline the idea that "group trauma" is very real despite it being something we don't really think of trauma as a collective and gives the example of a community experiencing a hurricane or other natural disasters.

Increases In Mental Health Issues
Scientists studying the aftermath of the global pandemic look at it from a very umbrella view, looking at increases of anxiety, substance abuse to cope, signs of PTSD, and even suicidal ideation. (10:30)

Last summer, a study reported that the biggest increase in trauma symptoms was in the first few months of the pandemic when things were changing quickly.

Anxiety disorder showed approximately three times more reported in the second quarter of 2019 (25.5% versus 8.1%), 

Depressive disorder showed approximately four times what was reported in the second quarter of 2019 (24.3% versus 6.5%) (2). 

Suicidal ideation was also elevated; approximately twice as many respondents reported serious consideration of suicide in the previous 30 days than did adults in the United States in 2018, referring to the previous 12 months (10.7% versus 4.3%).

During August 19–31, 2020, through December 9–21, 2020, scientists observed significant increases in the percentages of adults who reported experiencing symptoms of an anxiety disorder (from 31.4% to 36.9%), depressive disorder (from 24.5% to 30.2%), and at least one of these disorders (from 36.4% to 42.4%).

More adults (22.4% to 25%) reported taking prescription medications or receiving mental health counseling during that time. More adults said they needed but did not receive counseling (9.2% to 12.4%).

While the researchers found an increase in symptoms among all demographic groups, the trend was highest among individuals aged 18 to 29 and those with less than high school education.

This additional study showed similar results. 

Mental Health Issues Before Covid-19
Stacy shares that she had high-functioning anxiety before Covid-19, which impacts how she dealt with the stress of the pandemic.

Sarah shares that she has 20+ years of experience with pa