COVID and mental health

We know that COVID-19 is a dangerous disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that emerged in December 2019. We know that it affects our physical health. However, a pandemic can cause harm that goes beyond physical health effects. You're interested in learning how the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health, and how people are coping. You decide to search the internet to find out!

Question to think about:

• How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health?
• What coping mechanisms are people using? Are they effective?

Try it

1. Open Search Coach.
2. Type [covid and mental health] in the search bar and run your search.
   1. Before selecting any results, observe the types of resources that come up in your search. Notice that some of your results may be using emotional language in headlines.
   2. Why might some information sources benefit from provoking strong emotions in their readers? How might this impact whether the site is credible?

Think about it

• How might strong language impact critical thinking in the moment?
• What are some strategies for coping with mental health challenges during a pandemic?