The United States has seen an uptick in violent crimes and experts believe this increase in violence could be tied to prolonged pandemic–related stress, recent incidents of racial injustice, a contentious election cycle, and civil unrest.
In October 2021, nearly a year and a half after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and millions sheltered in place to stop the spread of the virus, the American Psychological Association (APA) warned that the next global health crisis is a mental health pandemic — one that will persist even after the Coronavirus threat has been addressed.