Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Era: Challenges and Coping Strategies

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in sustained effects on culture and mental health throughout the world. It has already led to increased levels of depression, anxiety, burnout, grief, and social isolation among the population. Additionally, post-pandemic factors that further complicate the ongoing realities of post-pandemic culture include socioeconomic instability, future uncertainty, digital fatigue, decreased social cohesion, and increased distress. All of these are contributors to overall socio-economic instability. Meanwhile, various coping techniques like the resilience building, mindfulness, social and family support, and the application of digital mental health tools have been found to be critical in facilitating recovery and adaptation. This paper will review the available literature to discuss the key mental health issues of the post-pandemic period and find suggested coping mechanisms at the individual, community, and systemic levels. The findings highlight the need to involve a combined approach that encompasses professional responses, facilitating policy structures, and ground level campaigns to improve mental health systems and develop resiliency to future occurrences of crisis.