How coronavirus is taking its toll on our mental health

The coronavirus pandemic has had us in its grip for a year now. Even for healthy people, the coronavirus pandemic and all its restrictions are an enormous challenge.

Restrictions in public life, lack of social contact, isolation, financial worries or fears about the future can have a severe impact on mental health and lead to depression. It can affect anyone.

For many people, everyday life has changed fundamentally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even COVID-19 itself can have long-term consequences after recovery. The number of mental illnesses has risen significantly during the coronavirus pandemic. In the first half of 2020, the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) health insurance fund recorded around 26,700 cases of sick leave in this regard, compared to around 14,600 in the same period last year. This represents an increase of around 80 per cent.

That is why we would like to draw your attention to a film on the YouTube channel MrWissen2Go, part of the FUNK content network run by ARD and ZDF. This film talks about depression, eating disorders, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, trauma, self-harming behaviour and suicidal thoughts.

YouTube: How coronavirus is affecting our mental health, Mr. Wissen 2 Go, 31 March 2021

Image rights: © German Armed Forces/Tom Twardy

For more than a year, the German Armed Forces have been supporting the federal and state governments, cities and municipalities in coping with the coronavirus pandemic. This is the longest and most extensive administrative assistance mission in the history of the German Armed Forces. Currently, approximately 12,500 soldiers are serving in the context of administrative assistance. In Bundeswehr hospitals and other medical facilities and laboratories, soldiers and civilian employees are fighting for the lives of their patients. That is why it is also important for soldiers to take care of themselves. This video can help. It provides an overview of the current situation and interviews with those affected, as well as tips and tricks.

For more than a year, the German Armed Forces have been providing support at vaccination centres throughout Germany.

If you are depressed or have suicidal thoughts, please contact the telephone counselling www.telefonseelsorge.de. Call the free hotline 0800-1110111 or 0800-1110222 you will receive help from counsellors who can show you ways out of difficult situations.

Soldiers can contact the German Armed Forces PTSD Hotline under 0800-5887957 turn.

If you would like to know how stressed you are, then use our online tests:

Online test: PTSD

Questionnaire on the severity of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Take the PTSD test

Online test: Depression

Questionnaire on the severity of symptoms of depression

Take the depression test

Online test: Alcohol

Questionnaire on the severity of alcohol dependence symptoms

take an alcohol test

Online psychosocial counselling

Our online advice service „Advice from an expert“ for members of the German Armed Forces – anonymous and confidential

Access online advice

Further information:

• How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting children and young people? Gert Scobel has investigated this for you. You can find the link to the video here:
  https://youtu.be/4hx5XiRNn9I
• How have the pandemic affected people's quality of life and mental health in Germany? The NAKO health study is available here:
  https://nako.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/PM_COVID-19-Fragebogen_2020_11_24_final.pdf
• To what extent are children and young people suffering psychologically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic? The COPSY study conducted by the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf took a closer look at this issue:
  https://idw-online.de/de/attachmentdata85769
• Which groups of people are particularly affected by the pandemic? Dr Ernst Dietrich Munz, President of the Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists, explained it to us. You can find the complete interview here:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxiGMF61CDQ&t=0s
• Why are there such long waiting times when looking for a psychotherapy place? And who covers the costs? ZDFzoom+ investigated for you:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_mdwvSRvSU
• How can people around the world become happier? Spain is trying a four-day week:
  https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/weltwirtschaft/viertagewoche-spanien-test-101.html
• Why is the coronavirus crisis so dangerous for mental health? And what scientifically proven tips can help you stay healthy? Pia shows you how at Psychologeek:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU3YgeiUH0k