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The state of mental health, 5 years after COVID-19 pandemic began

09:41
A resident (L) of the Domenico Sartor nursing home in Castelfranco Veneto, near Venice, hugs her visiting daughter on Nov. 11, 2020 through a plastic screen in a so-called "Hug Room" amid the new coronavirus pandemic. (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images)
A resident (L) of the Domenico Sartor nursing home in Castelfranco Veneto, near Venice, hugs her visiting daughter on Nov. 11, 2020 through a plastic screen in a so-called "Hug Room" amid the new coronavirus pandemic. (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images)

It's been five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The declaration triggered lockdowns, restricted travel and public gatherings, and disrupted work and school. The pandemic also led to higher rates of anxiety, depression and substance abuse, the impact of which people are still dealing with today.

Denise Brady, a therapist based in Long Beach, California, joins us to discuss.

This segment aired on March 10, 2025.

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