Nope, 2021 Didn’t Make Our Anxiety Disappear

Well, let’s face it: the stress of the of the past year didn’t magically disappear with the new year. We’re still in a pandemic, many of us are still facing job uncertainty, caregiving hell, and the constant unshakable feeling that we’re living in a mortally threatening version of Groundhog Day. The reality is, the mental health impacts of simply living in this age are tangible. Over 40% of Americans recently reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And over 47 million people in the U.S. are living with a mental health disorder, according to the 2020 State of Mental Health in America Report, which is notably an increase of 1.5 million people from the previous year. As with any mental health issue, there’s no magic ball that can make that anxiety disappear—not even one that drops at midnight.

But things are looking up. We have a vaccine that will hopefully become widely available, there’s discussion of a Marshall Plan for Moms, and there’s optimism in the headlines again. But as we get a little more emotional bandwidth, experts predict that 2021 will bring a reckoning for our collective psyche. It’s time to address our new normal burnout, the long term effects of isolation, sleep issues, and especially the deeply rooted inequalities at the heart of so many mental and physical health issues.

This is the moment to get your mental health in check—and on that front, we’ve got you covered. We’ve spoken to the experts and to women around the country about everything from how to find a therapist, to the best free therapy resources, to coping with stay-at-home mom depression, to wrestling with the fear of being alone. We may still be dealing with the same anxiety, but we can do something about it.