Coronavirus caused spike in Google search for this symptom
Researchers at Tulane University, Loyola University and Central Michigan University used Google Trends to analyze “an extensive list of mental health-related terms” that people began to search for both before and after the WHO declared a global pandemic, finding that in the weeks after said declaration, there was a “major jump in searches related to anxiety, panic attacks and treatments for panic attacks, especially remote and self-care techniques,” per a press release from Tulane University.
Interestingly, the team did not find an increase in searches related to depression, loneliness, abuse, and suicidality. However, the researchers noted that this “may be that the onset of such changes will occur later, suggesting the need for continued surveillance on Google Trends.”
“Alternatively, the population may be more resilient than anticipated in rationalizing some elements of the pandemic (e.g., ‘it’s normal to feel lonely when self-isolating’). Moreover, population-level increases in stress in some life domains may be partially offset by reductions in stress from fewer close-proximity interactions with difficult bosses and coworkers.”
The findings were published recently in the journal "Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy."
Researchers at Tulane University, Loyola University and Central Michigan University used Google Trends to analyze “an extensive list of mental health-related terms” that people began to search for both before and after the WHO declared a global pandemic, finding that in the weeks after said declaration, there was a “major jump in searches related to anxiety, panic attacks and treatments for panic attacks, especially remote and self-care techniques,” per a press release from Tulane University.
Interestingly, the team did not find an increase in searches related to depression, loneliness, abuse, and suicidality. However, the researchers noted that this “may be that the onset of such changes will occur later, suggesting the need for continued surveillance on Google Trends.”
“Alternatively, the population may be more resilient than anticipated in rationalizing some elements of the pandemic (e.g., ‘it’s normal to feel lonely when self-isolating’). Moreover, population-level increases in stress in some life domains may be partially offset by reductions in stress from fewer close-proximity interactions with difficult bosses and coworkers.”
The findings were published recently in the journal "Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy."
It’s quite long.
