Covid Depression And Anxiety, Identification, & Treatment
Covid depression is now an interlocking epidemic in this country. For one thing, depression is associated with exposure to infectious diseases. Stress, too, is a significant risk factor for depression, and many Americans are experiencing more stress now than they have in their entire lifetime. Keep reading to learn how to properly manage this condition
Depression After Covid: Covid Depression
Can covid cause depression? Covid depression or post covid depression is now an interlocking epidemic in this country. For one thing, depression is associated with exposure to infectious diseases, according to a study in the journal Psychiatric Research. Stress, too, is a significant risk factor for depression. (And many Americans are experiencing more stress now than they have in an entire lifetime.)
Covid and Depression
Does covid cause depression? Emerging statistics reinforce the picture that coronavirus-induced depression (depression and covid) is both natural and widespread:
- A new poll from one trusted source revealed that nearly half of respondents were experiencing “grief, panic, hopelessness and paralyzing fear,” according to an April 9th op-ed in the New York Times. These (and other) symptoms can indicate clinical depression.
- The same article—by a professor of clinical medical psychology at Columbia University who opened up about his struggles with depression—went on to note that the pandemic has “catapulted” a whole, previously inexperienced group of people into depression and other disorders. Worse yet, for those already suffering from major depressive disorder, the coronavirus has opened the door to “what clinicians call ‘double depression,’ in which a persistent depressive disorder is overlaid with an episode of unbearable pain.”
- Among people who are quarantined for infectious disease, rates of traumatic stress disorders (which are heavily associated with covid depression anxiety) are especially high. Nearly 29 percent of people quarantined during the SARS outbreak of 2003 reported experiencing traumatic stress, according to a February 2020 study in the journal Lancet.
Skip To:
- Depression After Covid: Covid Depression
- Depression After Covid Vaccine (Covid Vaccine Depression)
- Depression Fact Sheet
- Depression Statistics
- Coping with Covid Depression or Depression During Covid
- Covid Depression vs. Clinical Depression
- Post Covid Anxiety and Depression: Different Types of Depression (Covid Depression)
- Can covid make you depressed? Risk Factors of Depression
- Common Depression Treatments
- Getting Diagnosed with Depression & How To Get Help for Covid Depression
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Depression After Covid Vaccine (Covid Vaccine Depression)
Covid vaccine and depression: Scientific research called ‘Psychiatric adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines: A rapid review of published case reports’ noted “Worsening anxiety and depressive symptoms have been widely described during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be hypothesized that vaccination could link to reduced symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. However, to date, no study has assessed this. This study aims to examine anxiety and depressive symptoms after vaccination in US adults, meanwhile testing sociodemographic disparities in these outcomes”.
The results they got were “Of the 453,167 participants studied, 52.2% of the participants had received the COVID-19 vaccine, and 26.5% and 20.3% of the participants reported anxiety and depression (feeling depressed after covid vaccine), respectively. Compared to those not vaccinated, the vaccinated participants had 13% lower odds of anxiety and 17% lower odds of depression. Disparities on the above associations were identified in age, marital status, education level, ethnic/race, and income level, but not on gender”.
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FREE 24/7 Dual Diagnosis Mental Health Services HotlineDepression Fact Sheet
Depression Overview
Depression is a group of illnesses like depression or bipolar disorder that are connected to mood elevation or depression
Types of Depression
- Clinical Depression: A mental health disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.
- Persistent depressive disorder: A mild but long-term form of depression.
- Bipolar disorder: A disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.
- Bipolar II disorder: A type of bipolar disorder characterized by depressive and hypomanic episodes.
- Postpartum depression: Depression that occurs after childbirth.
Depression Treatments
- Support group: A place where those pursuing the same disease or objective, such as weight loss or depression, can receive counseling and exchange experiences.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: A conversation treatment that aimed to change the negative attitudes, actions, and feelings connected to psychiatric discomfort.
- Counseling psychology: A subfield of psychology that handles issues with the self that are connected to work, school, family, and social life.
- Anger management: To reduce destructive emotional outbursts, practice mindfulness, coping skills, and trigger avoidance.
- Psychoeducation: Mental health education that also helps individuals feel supported, validated, and empowered
- Family therapy: psychological counseling that improves family communication and conflict resolution.
Depression and Anxiety Statistics
It’s critical to understand the distinction between anxiety and depression. Anxiety, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worry, whereas depression, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness. It is conceivable for someone to experience depression and anxiety simultaneously.
6.8 million
GAD affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.
Source: National Institute on Mental Health
19 million
19 million adults experience specific phobias, making it the most common anxiety disorder in America.
Source: ADAA, 2020
17.3 million
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 17.3 million American adults or about 7.1% of the U.S. population aged 18 and older.
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
Coping with Covid Depression or Depression During Covid
Coping with depression at any time can be tough. Coping with coronavirus-induced depression can be especially difficult. That’s because many of the built-in supports that once were there before the outbreak of COVID-19 are now no longer available or tougher to access:
- The coffee shop where you met up with friends
- The 12-step group that you attended weekly
- The park where you and your kids used to go to play and connect with the outdoors
- The fulfilling job and sense of camaraderie and purpose that it gave you
- The therapist you once saw in person for regular check-ins
- The gym where you once worked out

Can Covid Make Depression Worse?
For so many of us, these features of pre-coronavirus life played an antidepressive-like role. So many of us, who before the coronavirus had never experienced clinical depression, took these things for granted. Others of us, who had learned how to live with depression or another mental health condition, knew these things were essential to our mental health.
Suddenly, almost overnight, these outlets for joy, fulfillment, and positive support disappeared. In their absence, Americans are more vulnerable to first-time clinical depression—or a second, third, or fourth experience of depression. Therefore, it’s critical to be mindful of what clinical depression is, what its signs are, and how to find immediate help for you or a loved one if you begin to feel overwhelmed.

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Covid Depression vs. Clinical Depression
Everyone faces periodic feelings of loneliness and sadness. These emotions are common and even healthy reactions to losing a job or a relationship, stress from work or home, or disappointing events. However, for some people, these feelings can last for extended periods and become too hard to manage on their own (by sheer willpower or other efforts).
Clinical depression is a severe mood disorder that impacts how individuals feel, think, and handles daily activities like eating, sleeping, and working. Occasional bouts of depression are common, but to be diagnosed with clinical depression, an individual must have symptoms for at least two weeks.
Recognizing the symptoms of depression (Covid Depression) is key to knowing when it’s time to seek medical help. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or recalling details
- Feelings for helplessness, worthlessness, or guilt
- Pessimism and hopelessness
- Changes in sleep patterns, such as insomnia, waking early, or sleeping too much
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Loss of interest in activities that used to be enjoyed
- Changes in eating habits, including overeating or eating too little
- Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
In some cases, people who experienced extended periods of sadness develop physical symptoms, including:
- Fatigue and lower energy levels
- Decreased pain tolerance
- Aching muscles and back pain
- Headaches
- Decreased vision
- Stomach pain
- Digestive problems
Post Covid Anxiety and Depression: Different Types of Depression (Covid Depression)
Clinical depression takes on different diagnosable forms. Major depression (a more common manifestation) is characterized by having symptoms of depression for most days of the week. Generally speaking, doctors diagnose this type of depression when their patients have a depressed mood or a loss of interest in activities that they used to enjoy, in addition to at least four other signs of depression.
- Psychotic Depression: It is a disorder in which depression co-occurs with a form of psychosis. For example, a person may experience delusions or hallucinations that typically have a “depressive” theme like illness or poverty.
- Persistent Depressive: Disorder is a form of depression that lasts for two years or more. A person living with this disorder may go through periods of mild symptoms, and others are more intense and disruptive.
When we talk about coronavirus-induced depression, we refer to these three categories of depression: major, psychotic, and persistent depression. (There are two other types of depression, but these are tied to specific (non-coronavirus) events: Postpartum depression occurs after giving birth, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is linked to the change in seasons as sunlight wanes, giving way to winter.)
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Can covid make you depressed? Risk Factors of Depression
Anyone can be at risk of depression, regardless of their age. While research is ongoing, current research indicates that depression results from a mixture of psychological distress, and biological, environmental, and genetic factors.
In some cases, depression can result from or co-occur with certain medical conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart disease—or COVID-19.
Four common risk factors for depression include:
- Physical illnesses or medications
- Major life changes, such as a divorce, the loss of a loved one or moving to a new home
- Trauma
- Personal or family history of depression
Common Depression Treatments
Depression is more than a period of sadness, and individuals can’t simply “snap out” of it. It’s a severe condition that requires long-term treatment (long covid depression). For some, treatment may last a few weeks or months. For others, lifelong treatment is necessary. No two people are the same, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment for depression. In most cases, treatment includes psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. If an individual doesn’t experience relief from these two types of treatment symptoms, their doctor may recommend brain stimulation therapy.

Medications
Medications that are used to treat depression are called antidepressants. They help the brain produce, regulate and use certain chemicals and hormones to control stress or moods. An individual being treated for depression may have to try several different antidepressants before finding one that works for them. However, if a family member is successfully treated for depression with an antidepressant, that medication will often be considered first.
Antidepressants may take as long as a month to work. Especially as the body gets used to them, they may have side effects on sleep, appetite, and concentration. These medications must be only taken or stopped under the care of a doctor. Many medications have to be tapered off gradually, or severe withdrawal symptoms may occur.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, or counseling, is another effective treatment for depression. There are several forms of psychotherapy, including dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. While in-person meetings aren’t possible during the coronavirus outbreak, many therapists are now providing Tele counseling mental health services to accommodate the rising demand.
Brain Stimulation Therapies
Brain stimulation therapies may be another option for those with severe depression who are not receiving relief from medication and psychotherapy. Electroconvulsive therapy is the best-studied brain stimulation therapy and has a long history of use. Newer therapies include deep brain stimulation and high-frequency pulsed electromagnetic stimulation therapy, both of which show great promise for treating depression. These procedures are painless, non-invasive, and can be performed on an outpatient basis.
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Getting Diagnosed with Depression & How To Get Help for Covid Depression
To effectively treat depression, it’s essential to seek care from a licensed mental health professional. While many people attempt to ignore their symptoms and hope they resolve them on their own, studies have shown that symptoms of depression only progress in severity when left untreated. The high rates of suicide in this country illustrate how tragic mental health outcomes can be.

Meanwhile, anyone affected by depression needs to know that safe and effective treatment is available now. Because treatment for depression and other mental health disorders is essential during a coronavirus outbreak, providers like We Level Up Florida are open and receiving clients. For help with questions about depression or any other mental health illness or concern, call us today, and we would be happy to help in any way we can.
At We Level Up Treatment Center provides world-class care with round-the-clock medical professionals available to help you cope. In addition, we work as an integrated team providing information for covid depression and other aspects of treatment. Make this your opportunity to reclaim your life. Call today to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Our specialists know what you are going through and will answer any of your questions.
Your call is private and confidential, and there is never any obligation.
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Sources
[1] National Institute of Mental Health – ‘Depression’ (www.nimh.nih.gov)
[2] U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (www.fda.gov/)
[3] Depression Treatment » Drug Alcohol Addiction Rehab
[5] NIMH – https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness
[6] Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors – National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine
[7] ‘Anxiety Disorders’ – National Institute Of Mental Health (Nimh.nih.gov)
[8] Psychopharmacology of anxiety disorders – National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine
[9] Products – Data Briefs – Number 379 – September 2020 (cdc.gov) Depression – National Institute of Mental Health
[10] Coping with Stress – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention