A Tsunami of Mental Health Crises Is Looming

3 ways to prepare for the emotional aftermath of the pandemic

Photo by Todd Turner on Unsplash

Approximately two times per year, an underwater earthquake displaces so much seawater that it causes tsunamis to tower up to 100 feet above unprotected seaside communities. It’s a delayed reaction and it’s deadly.

At first, the shift seems insignificant. Tectonic plates slide over and under each other, lifting the seafloor only a few meters, displacing only a small amount of water. But then, as the water moves away from the epicenter of the earthquake, it displaces more water, it grows, and then it destroys.

As the world begins to shift toward a “new normal,” an inevitable tidal wave of mental health struggles is compounding and threatens to overtake our collective and individual mental wellness.

For over a year, the world endured the painful tectonic subduction of the fear of infection, restructuring our lives to keep our families safe, rifts with others over beliefs on vaccination policies, the added weight of practically all decision-making, the added complication of mask-wearing and disinfecting, and most importantly, the millions and millions of lost loved ones.

Like any fight, flight, or freeze amygdala-powered situation, many of us were simply surviving…