Looking at the performance of certain key words searched on Google, the researchers found that in the days and weeks following the WHO’s pandemic declaration, there was a steep surge in searches that used words like worry, worry health, panic, and hysteria. In addition, searches for anxiety-related symptoms experienced a slower incline, but the increase was steady and more enduring over the period analyzed. What’s perhaps even more interesting, is that the researchers could not find any evidence that searches for other mental health conditions and their symptoms were on the rise. Despite plenty of coverage in the media about the mental health implications of COVID, searches related to depression, insomnia, loneliness, and more, didn’t appear to be increasing. The trend was completely unique to anxiety.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. The other key takeaway of the analysis was the rise in searches for remote therapist options, and an increased interest in common anxiety treatments. For example, there was a substantial rise in search terms like deep breathing and body scan meditation. According to the study’s authors: “Continued monitoring of Google Trends may reveal changes in other mental health symptoms over the longer term that we could not yet detect. These findings and continued surveillance can guide public mental health initiatives across multiple ecological levels that can mitigate the psychological toll of COVID-19.” And for more on your mental health, check out How You’re Making Your Depression Worse.
