Verywell Mind’s 2021 year-in-review is a reflection of all that weve faced in 2021.
The highs and lows.
The hope, the disappointment, and everything in between.
Verywell / Julie Bang
Between April and July, some of the biggest stressors of the year diminished 56% across the board.
Within this timeframe, we found little to no difference in how COVID-19 impacted financial stress amongst American adults.
And in August, practically the same at 32%.
Verywell / Julie Bang
And for good reason.
Money issues dont exist in a vacuum.
The effects extend far beyond the direct financial component, especially for those who suffered a job loss.
Verywell / Catherine Song
There is an appetite for alternativebut safemethods for treating mental health concerns.
And the list of options is growing by the year.
Late in 2020, Oregon became the first state to legalize psychedelic mushrooms and their psychoactive compound, psilocybin.
Verywell / Alex Dos Diaz
In 2021, towns and cities in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington have followed suit.
We treat them more like gods than like real people with internal lives and personal struggles.
And while some in the public responded with confusion or even outrage, the world largely applauded.
On Verywell Mind, many readers sought empowerment.
for themselves, with increased interest in content around your rights at work when dealing withanxietyordepression.
Stress loomed as parents juggled pitch presentations with in-home daycare.
The line between work and life became increasingly blurred.
This isn’t just about quitting or changing jobs, though.
Online Therapy Exploded in Popularity, But Did It Work for Everyone?
Over a year of being cooped up indoors, home wasnt a safe haven for all.
Your relationship should offer a reprieve in these difficult times.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Its a problem so big that it can feel unsolvable.
If nothing else, life during the pandemic has proven that.
For some, these effects can be even more difficult to bear.
For LGBTQ+ individuals, restrictions on public activity meant less access to the larger communityan essential outlet for many.
When those disparities are cast aside, however, it seems that outcomes improve.
We all struggled together and somehow FOMO and self-criticism melted awaybut only briefly.
Adults aren’t immune from these effects, either.
Snapchat, Facebook, and TikTok were cited as the biggest offenders.
Click below to listen now.
No matter what you’re struggling with, know that you’re not alone.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Table 4.Quits levels and rates by industry and region, seasonally adjusted - 2021 M09 Results.
2020;3(12):e2031640.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts.
Vital Statistics Rapid Release.
2021;4(4):e217508.
A systematic review and meta-analysis.Environ Int.
2018;8(8):723-729. doi:10.1038/s41558-018-0222-x
National Conference of State Legislatures.Youth homelessness overview.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 2017.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance United States, 2019.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Supplement / Vol.
University of London, Gender and Sexualities Research Centre.
