Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, mental health professionals say the effects continue to linger in their patients and the industry.

Since the start of the pandemic, the demand for psychological services has increased, and individuals of all ages are still navigating the long-term effects of isolation, uncertainty and loss. Local mental health experts say while COVID-19 harmed many people’s mental health, it also ushered in greater access to mental health care.

Elizabeth Reitz, a clinical psychologist and owner of mental health support provider Strong Foundation Psychological Associates, said she’s witnessed the growing demand for her services firsthand. Over the past five years, her team has expanded from just five clinicians to 25, a growth she attributes to the significant rise in the need for mental health care following the pandemic.

According to Reitz, one of the most significant mental health challenges during the pandemic was loneliness and isolation, affecting people across all age groups.

“For parents, managing the needs of their kids while also trying to work was very challenging,” Reitz said. “They went from being a parent to parent-plus-teacher-plus-coach. That was incredibly stressful.”

Beyond the immediate stress, Reitz said she has observed lasting anxiety caused by COVID-19. As people were suddenly forced into a state of heightened worry, Reitz said more people focused on staying healthy and protecting themselves from a serious threat to their well-being.

“People were dying and it was a very scary thing,” Reitz said. “Now, people are having a hard time calming their brains and returning to a sense of normalcy, because what is ‘normal’ anymore?” 

Kristen Walker, the clinical director at Counseling and Wellness at the Center of Pittsburgh, added that uncertainty from the pandemic continues to affect people today.  

“None of us like uncertainty, but during COVID-19 especially, there was so much uncertainty about what was happening and what was going to happen. People really struggled with that,” Walker said. 

The shift back to life post-pandemic has not been easy for everyone, as individuals have had to navigate a range of emotional, social and psychological adjustments. According to Walker, while some people were eager to return to social activities, others found comfort in the isolation during COVID-19. For those who struggle with social anxiety, the sudden reintegration into society presented new challenges. 

“For folks who were a little bit more on the socially anxious side, it was easier for them during COVID, because they could stay at home. And now there’s an expectation that people are going to get back out into the world. And for some folks, that can be a struggle,” Walker said. 

For young people, COVID-19 disrupted milestones in mental development. Many who were in middle or high school during the pandemic are now in college or entering the workforce, but Marc Coutanche, a Pitt associate professor of psychology, said they missed developing formative abilities like motivation and study skills. 

“The group of people who were younger were experiencing a real massive disruption to their education at a crucial time,” Coutanche said. “As a result of that, when their brain was developing, they didn’t get exposure to the same kinds of information and the same kinds of way of thinking that they can’t develop again.” 

According to Coutanche, the pandemic led to an overreliance on social media, fostering unhealthy habits that took a toll on people’s mental health. With the shift to remote life, in-person interactions disappeared, forcing many people to rely on social media as their primary means of communication.

“When people go remote, they start using social media a lot more. Once people start to go back in person, those habits that you form by checking social media and revolving your life around it, are more likely to stay around the habits. They become lifelong habits, rather than just temporary coping strategies,” Coutanche said. 

Despite the mental health challenges the pandemic brought, Reitz said increased access to mental health care “helped normalize seeking therapy.” Walker said the advent of telehealth additionally expanded mental health care access.

“It’s been a game-changer for people with chronic health issues, those in rural areas or anyone who had trouble accessing services before,” Walker said. “At the same time, some people are done with Zoom and want to return to in-person sessions.”

For those hesitant about seeking help, Walker emphasized the importance of making a first step. 

“Mental health treatment works. Therapy is available. You’re not alone, and having a support system makes a huge difference,” Walker said.