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An Evolution of Mental Health from Stigma to Acknowledgement
How the Evolution of Mental Health Perceptions and Challenges Shape the Current Public Attitudes toward a Growing Pandemic
Mental health, once a topic shrouded in stigma and dismissed as an individual failing, has now emerged as a central public health concern.
Such a shift in public discourse is significant, with mental health now surpassing cancer and obesity as the leading health worry, at least among Britons, according to a global survey conducted by Ipsos. What this transformation signals is how mental well-being is discussed and prioritized in a way that reflects a broader societal reckoning with the reality of mental illness as a structural issue rather than merely a personal struggle (The Guardian, 2024).
We see similar rates and experiences in the United States resulting from social isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19-related social isolation exacerbated pre-existing mental health issues, particularly among young people. Lockdowns, school closures, and the shift to online learning disrupted social interactions and traditional support systems, leading to increased levels of anxiety and depression.
Studies indicate that the pandemic has also resulted in developmental delays in children, as they became more reliant on digital technology in lieu of face-to-face interactions.
Experts warn that these long-term effects require urgent intervention to ensure young people can recover and thrive post-pandemic (The Guardian, 2025). Whenever we think of healthcare longitudinally, especially in the United States, we also need to consider the economic reality of if the patient can afford their care.
Beyond the personal toll, the economic implications of widespread mental illness are staggering.
Common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, a figure projected to rise to $6 trillion by 2030 if left unaddressed. This looming crisis highlights the…
