COVID-19 has brought about a dramatic spike in depression and anxiety. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics, 33 percent of Americans are struggling with symptoms of stress or anxiety as a result of COVID-19. Those numbers are even more staggering if broken down by age group. The pandemic, according to the data, affects young people the most significantly:
Individuals ages 18 to 29: 42 percent reporting anxiety and 36 percent depression.
Individuals ages 30 to 39: 34 percent reporting anxiety and 28 percent depression.
Additionally, COVID-19 related suicide and suicide ideation cases are on the rise, with things such as physical health, social distancing and isolation, economic stress, barriers to mental health care, and constant and pervasive anxiety being cited as primary causes.
It's no wonder.
Human beings are hardwired to connect, and this pandemic has isolated us from one another, leaving many people feeling lost, hopeless, anxious, depressed, and desperate for some form of human contact.
My colleagues at Brandman University and I have come up with a solution in the form of a campaign called #cultivateconnections and we would love for you to participate. Here's how:
Step 1: Visit www.cultivateconnections.net
Step 2: Click "Cultivate Connections Cards"
Step 3: Click "Take One, Send One"
Step 4: Pick the card and message you'd like to send
Step 5: Click on the social media stream you'd like to share your card on
Step 6: On social media, tag the friend(s) you'd like to send to
Step 7: Add #cultivateconnections#cultcon20#passiton to your post
Step 8: Encourage your friend(s) to send to their friends
While on our site, please feel free to visit our Virtual Calming Resources, where we have compiled several different resources to help individuals of any age reset during challenging times.
Finally, we would also love to encourage you to RSVP to our Day of Connection on October 10th, where we send as many cards as possible to as many people as possible, hopefully bringing joy, light, and connection to those we care about.
There is no substitute for in-person contact with our loved ones, but virtual contact is the next best thing. Sending a positive message to your loved one in this challenging time may just be the difference between life and death.
Join us and #cultivateconnections today!
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